title: Recognition, neutralization, and clearance of target peptides in the bloodstream of living mice by molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles: a plastic antibody.
abstract: We report that simple, synthetic organic polymer nanoparticles (NPs) can capture and clear a target peptide toxin in the bloodstream of living mice. The protein-sized polymer nanoparticles, with a binding affinity and selectivity comparable to those of natural antibodies, were prepared by combining a functional monomer optimization strategy with molecular-imprinting nanoparticle synthesis. As a result of binding and removal of melittin by NPs in vivo, the mortality and peripheral toxic symptoms due to melittin were significantly diminished. In vivo imaging of the polymer nanoparticles (or "plastic antibodies") established that the NPs accelerate clearance of the peptide from blood and accumulate in the liver. Coupled with their biocompatibility and nontoxic characteristics, plastic antibodies offer the potential for neutralizing a wide range of biomacromolecules in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA. yhoshino@uci.edu; kjshea@uci.edu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Takeo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Urakami
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oku
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008555:Melitten / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051379:Mice; D054802:Molecular Imprinting; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D053758:Nanoparticles; D010969:Plastics / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D010969:Plastics; D008555:Melitten