Biodegradable optode-based nanosensors for in vivo monitoring.
Optode-based fluorescent nanosensors are being developed for monitoring important disease states such as hyponatremia and diabetes. However, traditional optode-based sensors are composed of nonbiodegradable polymers such as poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) raising toxicity concerns for long-term in vivo use. Here, we report the development of the first biodegradable optode-based nanosensors that maintain sensing characteristics similar to those of traditional optode sensors. The polymer matrix of these sensors is composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) and a citric acid ester plasticizer. The PCL-based nanosensors yielded a dynamic and reversible response to sodium, were tuned to respond to extracellular sodium concentrations, and had a lifetime of at least 14 days at physiological temperature. When in the presence of lipase, the nanosensors degraded within 4 h at lipase concentrations found in the liver but were present after 3 days at lipase concentrations found in serum. The development of biodegradable nanosensors is not only a positive step towards their future use in in vivo applications, but they also represent a new sensor platform that can be extended to other sensing mechanisms.
Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States.
Mary K
MK
Balaconis
Heather A
HA
Clark
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010968:Plasticizers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000201:enzymology; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D010968:Plasticizers; D011091:Polyesters; C016240:polycaprolactone; D019343:Citric Acid; D012964:Sodium; D008049:Lipase