Gold Nanocluster-Encapsulated Hyperbranched Polyethyleneimine for Selective and Ratiometric Dopamine Analyses by Enhanced Self-Polymerization

Jing Zhang; Ying Liu; Yang Liu; Wencai Liu; Fengniu Lu; Zhiqin Yuan; Chao Lu

doi:10.3389/fchem.2022.928607

Gold Nanocluster-Encapsulated Hyperbranched Polyethyleneimine for Selective and Ratiometric Dopamine Analyses by Enhanced Self-Polymerization

Front Chem. 2022 Jul 8:10:928607. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2022.928607. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Jing Zhang¹, Ying Liu¹, Yang Liu¹, Wencai Liu¹, Fengniu Lu², Zhiqin Yuan^{1

3}, Chao Lu^{1

4}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China.
² Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China.
³ Beijing Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Research and Development, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Green Catalysis Center, College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

Abstract

The exploitation of selective and sensitive dopamine (DA) sensors is essential to more deeply understand its biological function and diagnosis of related diseases. In this study, gold nanocluster-encapsulated hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (hPEI-Au NCs) has been explored as the specific and ratiometric DA nanoprobe through hPEI-assisted DA self-polymerization reactions. The Au NCs encapsulation not only provides a fluorescent internal reference but also enhances the DA self-polymerization by weakening the proton sponge effect of the hPEI layer. Rapid and sensitive DA detection is realized through the proposed hPEI-Au NC nanoprobe with a limit of detection of 10 nM. The favorable selectivity over other possible interferents including amino acids, sugars, and salts is due to the specific self-polymerization reaction. The DA analysis in urine samples with small relative standard deviations has been accomplished with an hPEI-Au NC nanoprobe.

Keywords: dopamine analysis; gold nanoclusters; hyperbranched polyethyleneimine; ratiometric fluorescence; self-polymerization.