Exploiting amino acid-modulated active sites of Cu-MOF nanozyme for signal-amplified electrochemical aptasensing of cardiac troponin I.

Authors

Runan Tan, Lei Wang, Ruling Wang, Tian Tao, Xiaohong Xia, Ping Wang, Hanping He, Gang Chang

Published in

Mikrochimica acta. Volume 193. Issue 8. Jul 15, 2026. Epub Jul 15, 2026.

Abstract

The performance of nanozyme-based biosensing platforms is highly dependent on the composition and microenvironment of the active sites. Inspired by natural coordination environments, a biomimetic nanozyme was developed by incorporating L-glutamic acid (L-Glu) into a copper-imidazole framework (Cu-2MI). The amino acid modulates the copper active centers via coordination interactions, optimizing the local electronic structure and significantly enhancing peroxidase-like activity for efficient signal amplification. Based on this enhanced catalytic performance, an electrochemical aptasensor was constructed for ultrasensitive detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). The sensing interface was further engineered by in situ electrodeposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto the Cu-2MI@L-Glu-modified electrode, followed by the immobilization of a cTnI-specific aptamer via Au-S bonds. The AuNPs layer significantly enhances interfacial conductivity and biocompatibility, ensuring efficient electron transfer and specific biorecognition. The captured cTnI forms a spatial obstruction that prevents H₂O₂ from accessing the active sites, thereby inhibiting the catalytic reaction. The constructed sensor demonstrates outstanding analytical performance: a wide linear range from 0.5 pg/mL to 300 ng/mL, a low detection limit of 0.16 pg/mL, and operational stability (> 85% response retention after 7 days). Its potential utility was assessed using spiked human serum samples, with satisfactory recovery rates (93% - 106%). By integrating biomimetic catalytic microenvironment design with rational interface engineering, this study provides a strategy for developing highly sensitive biosensing platforms and demonstrates significant potential for early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases.

PMID:
42455351
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Jul 2026.

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