Permselective glucose sensing with GLUT1-rich cancer cell membranes

Biosens Bioelectron. 2019 Jun 15:135:82-87. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.04.007. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Abstract

Enzymatic blood glucose detection with selectivity is one of the most important conundrums, because human blood contains many components that can hinder enzyme-substrate reactions. Meanwhile, cancer cells express much higher levels of glucose transporter-1 on their cell membrane to selectively and excessively uptake more α-D-glucose than do normal cells. Inspired by such cellular permselectivity for glucose, herein we significantly improved the selectivity of a glucose sensor by using a breast cancer cell membrane (BCCM). The BCCM was extracted from MDA-MB-231 cells and coated onto an enzyme-deposited electrode via a vesicle fusion method. We investigated BCCM-coated sensors using ATR-FTIR, SEM, AFM, and cyclic voltammetry. The exceptional permselectivity of BCCM-coated sensors was validated using glucose solutions containing various interfering molecules (e.g., D-(-)-fructose, D-(+)-xylose, D-(+)-maltose, L-cysteine, L-ascorbic acid, and uric acid) and human serum (4.35-7.35 mM of glucose), implying their high potential for practical use.

Keywords: Cancer cell membrane; Electrochemical analysis; Glucose biosensor; Glucose transporter-1; Permselectivity.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • Blood Glucose / analysis*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Glucose / analysis
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glucose Transporter Type 1 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Limit of Detection
  • Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glucose Transporter Type 1
  • Glucose