Molecular Imprinting Research Articles (Page 1)

Oxygen Vacancy-Engineered Bi2S3/Bi4O5Br2 Heterojunction Coupled with Molecular Imprinting for Ultrasensitive Photoelectrochemical Detection of Fumonisin B1 in Food

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a recognized environmental risk factor for altered brain development, yet its early molecular consequences remain unclear. In this study, we examined total Tau, site-specific Tau phosphorylation, and selected synaptic proteins in one-month-old female mouse offspring exposed prenatally to MIA evoked by poly(I:C), a synthetic mimetic of viral dsRNA. Our analyses revealed a consistent reduction in Tau phosphorylation at Ser416 across multiple brain regions, including the cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum, without changes in total Tau levels or other phosphorylation sites. Among synaptic markers, only Shank3 levels were decreased, and this effect was confined to the cerebellum. No additional robust alterations were detected at this stage of development. These findings suggest that Tau hypophosphorylation at Ser416 may represent an early and widespread molecular footprint of MIA, whereas cerebellar Shank3 downregulation points to a region-specific vulnerability of synaptic pathways. While the study is limited to female offspring and a single postnatal time point, the data provide new insights into subtle molecular signatures that could precede or accompany later functional outcomes. Our results highlight Tau phosphorylation and Shank3 expression as potential molecular markers of prenatal immune stress, warranting further longitudinal and sex-comparative studies to clarify their relevance for neurodevelopmental trajectories.

The rising prevalence of bacterial resistance to carbapenem antibiotics, particularly meropenem, highlights the urgent need for rapid, selective, and efficient detection methods. This study reports the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) based on methyl methacrylate (MMA) as selective recognition elements for electrochemical meropenem sensors. Bulk polymerization was employed using MMA as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the crosslinker, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the porogen, and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as the initiator. Both non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared, followed by template extraction through sequential washing with acetonitrile, methanol–acetic acid, and methanol–deionized water to generate specific recognition cavities. Characterization using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the success of molecular imprinting, as evidenced by the disappearance of characteristic meropenem bands and the formation of porous cavities in the MIP. Adsorption studies revealed that the MIP exhibited a higher adsorption capacity (8.9940 mg/g) compared to the NIP (3.9904 mg/g), yielding an imprinting factor (IF) of 2.25. Selectivity testing against the competing analyte amoxicillin produced a selectivity coefficient (α) of 1.06, indicating preferential binding toward meropenem despite modest discrimination. These results demonstrate that MMA–EGDMA-based MIPs possess promising potential as selective recognition elements for electrochemical meropenem sensors. The developed material not only contributes to the advancement of functional polymer research but also offers practical opportunities for real-time monitoring of antibiotic levels in clinical and environmental samples.

Synergistic integration of self-cleaning interface and molecular imprinting in ratiometric electrochemical biosensor: Toward ultrasensitive BSA monitoring.

Selective copper(II) removal using molecularly imprinted alginate-metformin hydrogel beads: Mechanistic insights from isotherms, DFT and molecular docking.

Enhanced affinity of C18 and L-lactyl co-modified silica particles toward chlorogenic acid for sensing applications.

Enhanced specificity in molecular imprinting: A dual-role chitosan-bentonite substrate coupled with hierarchical monomers for ultrasensitive diclofenac potassium and metabolite enrichment.

A portable sweat biosensor for multiple chronic kidney diseases biomarkers detection.

ABSTRACT The presence of sulfonamide antibiotic residues, such as sulfadiazine (SDZ), in aquatic ecosystems presents significant ecological risks, including the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the development of precise and sensitive detection methods is of paramount importance. This study focuses on the design of a highly sensitive sensor for detecting SDZ by exploring the effects of quantum dot (QD) emission wavelength, particle size, and surface characteristics on sensor performance. Green, yellow, and red‐emitting cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs were synthesized through systematic adjustments in the molar ratio of Cd 2+ to Te, reflux time, and solution pH. These QDs were subsequently incorporated into silica nanoparticles (NH 2 ‐SiO 2 ) via molecular imprinting technology to fabricate a multicolor fluorescent imprinted sensor. The results indicated that the sensor incorporating green‐emitting QDs (MIPs@g‐QDs@SiO 2 ) exhibited the best performance, with a detection limit of 10.53 nM, a fluorescence quenching constant of , and a linear detection range of 10–60 μmol·L −1 . In comparison, the yellow and red‐emitting QD sensors displayed higher detection limits of 30.58 and 68.52 nM, with quenching constants of and , respectively. The sensitivity of the green‐emitting QD sensor is attributed to its smaller particle size, which results in a larger specific surface area and enhanced surface effects, thereby increasing the fluorescence intensity range. Moreover, fluorescence quenching and selective adsorption experiments demonstrated that MIPs@g‐QDs@SiO 2 exhibited excellent selective adsorption properties for SDZ, contributing to its enhanced fluorescent response.

High accuracy sensor for two-parameter detection of adrenaline and pH in sweat.

Development of fluorescent artificial receptors for specific recognition and rapid detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Flexible sensor based on molecular imprinting for simultaneous in situ detection of indole-3-acetic acid and salicylic acid in plants.

Synthesis and structure of a tartrate-bridging europium- encapsulated tellurtungstate and its applied to molecular imprinting sensor for amaranth detection

Integrated hydrogel with boronate affinity and molecular imprinting for all-in-one capture and SERS analysis of extracellular vesicles in urologic tumor diagnosis

This work introduces a novel paradigm for stimuli-responsive drug delivery: recognition-induced destabilization, where specific molecular recognition—without enzymatic catalysis—triggers nanoparticle disassembly. We engineered chitosan-phthalate nanoparticles (NPs) via molecular imprinting using lysozyme or α-glucosidase as templates. Critically, these enzymes do not catalytically degrade deacetylated, cross-linked, chitosan NPs enabling isolation of the recognition effect. Upon recognition by their respective enzyme, the imprinted nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) exhibited selective structural destabilization confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), while non-imprinted controls remained stable. This recognition event facilitated highly specific, on-demand release of encapsulated ciprofloxacin, achieving >90% release compared to <11% from controls. These findings demonstrate that imprint-guided recognition, coupled with proximity-induced microstructural degradation, can induce catastrophic mechanical failure of nanoMIPs and trigger drug release. The high specificity, stability, and responsiveness of this platform highlight its potential for translation into targeted therapies, biosensing, and diagnostic applications. Future studies will explore in vivo performance in enzyme-rich microenvironments such as infection and inflammation sites.

Herein, a molecularly imprinted TiO2 photocatalyst (T@MIP) was designed for the targeted degradation of tetracycline by combining flame spray pyrolysis with surface molecular imprinting technology. The FSP-derived TiO2 substrate, rich in surface defects and hydroxyl groups, serves as a key anchor for the subsequent prepolymerization of specific molecularly imprinted sites. The T@MIP catalyst exhibits excellent overall performance, including high selectivity for TC in a multipollutant system, exceptional degradation efficiency, and near-complete mineralization. Notably, mechanistic studies using free-radical EPR and in situ DRIFTS revealed that the molecularly imprinted sites simultaneously enrich TC molecules, leading to synergistic degradation dominated by ·O2- and h+. This work establishes a new model for the development of "smart" photocatalytic systems for precision environmental remediation.

This review examines the potential of nanosystems for targeted tuberculosis (TB) therapy, focusing on biodegradable polymeric, lipid-based, extracellular vesicles, and selected inorganic nanocarriers engineered to deliver anti-TB drugs directly to granulomas, the hallmark of TB pathology. Both passive and active targeting strategies are discussed, emphasizing how these approaches enhance drug accumulation at infection sites to curb disease progression. Preclinical studies, including laboratory and animal models, are reviewed to assess their therapeutic impact. Although the results are promising, hurdles such as biocompatibility, regulatory constraints, and optimizing drug release still pose challenges for clinical implementation. However, rationally designed nanosystems hold significant potential for improving TB treatment outcomes. Further research is crucial for refining nanocarrier design and addressing translational hurdles. Future directions include integrating nanosystems with advanced molecular imprinting technologies (MIT) and molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (MIPNPs) for enhanced granuloma targeting and controlled drug release. Additionally, immunotherapy and gene therapy offer novel adjunct strategies to boost host immunity and deliver targeted genetic interventions. These emerging approaches, combined with optimized nanosystems, have the potential to revolutionize TB management by improving drug delivery, reducing treatment duration, and enhancing therapeutic outcomes.

Although photo fuel cells (PFCs) can convert clean solar energy into electricity, they still find it difficult to meet the needs of increasing practical applications due to their limited efficiency. In this work, an ingenious dual-photoelectrode PFC was designed based on the heterojunction composed of K+ intercalation graphitic carbon nitride (AKCN) nanozyme and Ti-Fe-O nanotubes. The AKCN nanozyme was introduced into the photocathode innovatively to catalyze cheap glucose fuel efficiently, which increases the maximum output power of the PFCs by 5 times (16.4 μW cm-2) and the open circuit potential by 1.5 times (0.834 V). The in situ FT-IR analysis confirmed the mechanism of glucose oxidation to gluconic acid, and calculations further proved that AKCN has better catalytic performance than g-C3N4. Meanwhile, by introducing in situ molecular imprinting technology into the photocathode, the detection of picomole-level pollutants was realized. Promising theoretical guidance has therefore been provided for improving PFCs' energy utilization efficiency and pollutants' detecting accuracy.

Current macrophage-centric immunotherapies face limitations in systemic toxicity, targeting precision, and stage-specific adaptability. To address these challenges, we engineer manganese-mediated CD47 epitope-imprinted nanotraps (Mn-MIP nanotraps) via a facile one-pot synthesis. Molecular imprinting creates high-affinity cavities enabling 2.63-fold enhanced CD47 recognition over nonimprinted controls, effectively blocking the "do not eat me" signal. Tumor microenvironment-triggered Mn2+ release repolarizes immunosuppressive M2 macrophages into tumoricidal M1 phenotypes with 1.96-fold increased CD86+ populations. Near-infrared irradiation further induces immunogenic cell death, enhancing calreticulin exposure and HMGB1 release. These drug-free platforms confer stage-adaptive efficacy: early-stage tumors show 79.1% regression through macrophage-centric innate immunity alone, whereas advanced tumors require combined innate/adaptive immune activation to achieve 98.7% suppression. The nanotraps demonstrate exceptional biosafety (<10% hemolysis, preserved organ function) and readily scalable manufacturing. This work establishes molecularly imprinted nanotechnology as a versatile drug-free strategy for precision immunotherapy, effectively addressing the dynamic challenges of cancer progression.

Plant hyper-accumulate metals, leading to exceedingly high levels in the plant tissues, with biochemical and possible molecular evidences of this phenomenon. The present work attempts to ascertain the molecular imprint of heavy metal hyper-accumulation in plants using HMA4 gene. Four hyper-accumulating plant species; Eichhornia crassipes, Ludwigia decurrens, Pistia stratiotes and Solanum melongena were analyzed for heavy metal content using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer. The presence of a member gene; HMA4 that expresses heavy metal ATPase for Cadmium (Cd) and Zinc (Zn) within the hyper-accumulation gene-complex HMA complex was analyzed using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Sanger sequencing. The results show that the elemental contents accumulated in the plant species investigated followed the order; Fe &gt; Mn &gt; Na &gt; Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Ni &gt; Cr &gt; Cd &gt; Co, with Se and Pb varying. Pistia stratiotes recorded higher concentration of Cd and Cr (1.48 and 16.06ppm) respectively. Other plants range between 0.94 - 0.95 and 6.38 - 9.63 for Cd and Cr respectively. The plant species significantly accumulated higher metal content than permissible levels (ρ = 0.05). However, none of the species showed significant accumulating prowess than the others (ρ = 0.05). Only Pistia stratiotes expressed the HMA4 gene; indicating, the gene is probably responsible for the active uptake of Cd and Cr and thus is specific for Cd uptake in Pistia stratiotes. The results hold environmental as well as crop improvement potential for the species- Pistia stratiotes.