Zwitterionic Polymers Coating Antibiofouling Photoelectrochemical Aptasensor for In Vivo Antibiotic Metabolism Monitoring and Tracking

Long-term in vivo monitoring and tracking of target molecules in living organism is essential to reveal vital physiological activity. However, undesirable contamination of protein and biological cells may bring serious biofouling issues. Herein, zwitterionic sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) polymers are grafted on the TiO2 nanotube (NT) surface with polydopamine (PDA) as linker to fabricate a TiO2 NTs/PDA/SBMA photoelectrode. The TiO2 NTs/PDA/SBMA/aptamer-based PEC aptasensor can be sensitive and have selective detection of target molecules with excellent antibiofouling activity. Beneficial from the above advantages, the implantable micro-PEC aptasensor has implemented in vivo tracking and monitoring of the metabolism of antibiotics in a living mouse. The robust antibiofouling property generates new inquiries and an approach for long-standing questions in a new way for reliable and long-term sensing of vital biomolecules in complex biological fluids and uncovers a promising advance of intrinsic physiological mechanisms.

Automated summary

The researchers developed a novel photoelectrode by grafting polymers onto the surface of TiO2 nanotubes, which exhibited sensitive and selective detection of target molecules and excellent antibiofouling activity. By implanting the photoelectrode into a living mouse, they successfully tracked and monitored the metabolism of antibiotics. This study provides a new approach for reliable and long-term sensing of vital biomolecules and shows promising progress in understanding intrinsic physiological mechanisms.