Molecularly imprinted polymer-based SAW sensor for label-free detection of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor protein

In this study we report on a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor modified with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film that selectively recognizes the cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF) protein, a potential biomarker for early-stage diagnosis and/or the follow-up of neuroprotective therapies. CDNF-MIP as a synthetic recognition element was prepared by a simple electrochemical surface imprinting approach allowing its reliable interfacing with SAW sensor. The optimal thickness of the MIP layer as well as a suitable pretreatment method were adjusted to improve the recognition capacity and selectivity of the resulting CDNF-MIP sensor. The 4.7 nm thick CDNF-MIP layers treated in 0.04 mg/ml HSA solution demonstrated the highest relative rebinding towards CDNF. The selectivity of the sensor was studied by the carefully designed competitive binding experiments, which revealed that the sensor can sense CDNF confidently in a label-free manner starting from 0.1 pg/ml. We anticipate that the findings can be a premise for fabricating the desired cost-effective research or diagnostics tools in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.Peer reviewe

Electrochemically Synthesized MIP Sensors: Applications in Healthcare Diagnostics

Early-stage detection and diagnosis of diseases is essential to the prompt commencement of treatment regimens, curbing the spread of the disease, and improving human health. Thus, the accurate detection of disease biomarkers through the development of robust, sensitive, and selective diagnostic tools has remained cutting-edge scientific research for decades. Due to their merits of being selective, stable, simple, and having a low preparation cost, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are increasingly becoming artificial substitutes for natural receptors in the design of state-of-the-art sensing devices. While there are different MIP preparation approaches, electrochemical synthesis presents a unique and outstanding method for chemical sensing applications, allowing the direct formation of the polymer on the transducer as well as simplicity in tuning the film properties, thus accelerating the trend in the design of commercial MIP-based sensors. This review evaluates recent achievements in the applications of electrosynthesized MIP sensors for clinical analysis of disease biomarkers, identifying major trends and highlighting interesting perspectives on the realization of commercial MIP-endowed testing devices for rapid determination of prevailing diseases