Ultrafine fluorene-pyridine oligoelectrolyte nanoparticles for supersensitive fluorescence sensing of heparin and protamine

Chem Commun (Camb). 2021 Aug 28;57(67):8304-8307. doi: 10.1039/d1cc01969d. Epub 2021 Jul 28.

Abstract

A new fluorene-pyridine oligoelectrolyte (OFP) is rationally proposed and readily synthesized via a simple one-pot Sonogashira approach. Hence, an unexpectedly small cationic oligomer nanosensor (i.e. OFPNPs, ∼ 1.2 nm in diameter) was conveniently fabricated owing to the enhanced flexibility endowed by the meta-substituted pyridyl unit. Inspiringly, this facile nanoplatform with low cytotoxicity favors the ultrasensitive fluorescence assay for heparin and protamine with a detection limit (LOD, S/N = 3) as low as 1.2 ng mL-1 and 0.5 ng mL-1, respectively, involving heparin-induced aggregation of OFPNPs through electrostatic interaction or competitive rebinding of protamine to heparin.

MeSH terms

  • Binding, Competitive
  • Electrolytes / chemistry
  • Fluorenes / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Heparin / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Limit of Detection
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Optical Imaging
  • Protamines / analysis*
  • Pyridines / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Static Electricity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Electrolytes
  • Fluorenes
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Protamines
  • Pyridines
  • Heparin