Site-specific post-imprinting modification of molecularly imprinted polymer nanocavities with a modifiable functional monomer for prostate cancer biomarker recognition

ABSTRACTRecognition of glycans of glycoproteins using biotic materials such as antibodies is challenging due to lack of antigenicity. Polymeric materials suitable for the molecular recognition of glycoproteins have attracted considerable attention. In this study, we aimed to develop abiotic molecular materials for the recognition of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a known biomarker for prostate cancer. We used a non-covalent bonding-based molecular imprinting technique to introduce post-imprinting poly(ethylene glycol)-based capping agent into a low-affinity recognition cavity. Details of the binding properties of these groups were investigated to optimize their affinity and selectivity for PSA. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared using a bottom-up approach based on surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization from a PSA-conjugated sensor chip with a functional monomer-bearing carboxy and secondary amine groups as interaction and post-imprinting modification (PIM) sites, respect...