Rapid and efficient separation of glycoprotein using pH double-responsive imprinted magnetic microsphere.

As biomarkers of many diseases, glycoproteins are of great significance to clinical diagnostics. However, the determination of low abundant glycoproteins in complex biological samples without any pretreatment process is still a problem. In this study, a rapid and convenient separation method for highly efficient enrichment of glycoproteins is reported, based on pH double-responsive imprinted magnetic microspheres. Thin imprinted polymer shells were fabricated onto the surface of magnetic microspheres by free radical polymerization, using 2-(Dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate as pH-sensitive monomer, 4-vinylphenylbronic acid as boronate affinity monomer, and ovalbumin (OVA) as template molecule. Combining the advantages of pH-sensitive monomer and boronate affinity monomer, rapidly capture-release of OVA could be modulated by changing solution pH. Moreover, high absorption ability (81.2mg/g) was achieved within about 10min. This study provided responsible way to imprint glycoproteins and showed great potential for glycoprotein detection in clinical diagnostic.