Permselective glucose sensing with GLUT1-rich cancer cell membranes

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics Vol. 135; pp. 82 - 87
• Main Authors: Kim, Insu, Kwon, Dohyung, Lee, Dongtak, Lee, Gyudo, Yoon, Dae Sung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier B.V 15.06.2019
• Subjects: Cancer cell membrane; Electrochemical analysis; Glucose biosensor; Glucose transporter-1; Permselectivity; Electrochemical analysis; Glucose biosensor; Cancer cell membrane; Glucose transporter-1; Permselectivity
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2019.04.007

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. •The glucose transporter-rich breast cancer cell membrane (BCCM) was collected from MDA-MB-231.•The BCCM layer was utilized as glucose-specific permeable membrane via glucose transporter.•The BCCM-coated glucose sensors were well optimized with the thickness of BCCM layer for adequate permeability.•The biosensor showed outstanding selectivity to glucose under serum and glucose-added serum.