Amplified Peroxidase-Like Activity in Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Using Adenosine Monophosphate: Application to Urinary Protein Sensing

Numerous compounds such as protein and double-stranded DNA have been shown to efficiently inhibit intrinsic peroxidase-mimic activity in Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NP) and other related nanomaterials. However, only a few studies have focused on finding new compounds for enhancing the catalytic activity of Fe3O4 NP related nanomaterials. Herein, phosphate containing adenosine analogs are reported to enhance the oxidation reaction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and amplex ultrared (AU) for improving the peroxidase-like activity in Fe3O4 NPs. This enhancement is suggested to be a result of the binding of adenosine analogs to Fe2+/Fe3+ sites on the NP surface and from adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) acting as the distal histidine residue of horseradish peroxidase for activating H2O2. Phosphate containing adenosine analogs revealed the following trend for the enhanced activity of Fe3O4 NPs: AMP > adenosine S'-diphosphate > adenosine 5'-triphosphate. The peroxidase-like activity in the Fe3O4 NPs progressively increased with increasing AMP concentration and polyadenosine length. The Michaelis constant for AMP attached Fe3O4 NPs is 5.3-fold lower and the maximum velocity is 2.7-fold higher than those of the bare Fe3O4 NPs. Furthermore, on the basis of AMP promoted peroxidase mimicking activity in the Fe3O4 NPs and the adsorption of protein on the NP surface, a selective fluorescent turn-off system for the detection of urinary protein is developed.