Glucose binding to molecularly imprinted polymers

The main goal of this study was to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with glucose recognition sites and to evaluate their glucose-binding properties for potential applications in glucose sensing and self-regulating insulin delivery devices. To mimic glucose-binding sites of natural proteins, monomers possessing functional groups similar to amino acids were used. Vinyl acetic acid (VAA), acrylamide (AAm), 4-pentenoic acid (PA), and allyl benzene (AB) were copolymerized with a cross-linking agent (N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, BIS) in the presence of glucose as a template. The binding affinity of glucose to MIPs was examined by using an equilibrium dialysis technique. The dissociation constants of the MIPs were determined by Scatchard analysis. MIPs showed glucose-binding affinity, while polymers synthesized in the absence of glucose template did not show a glucose-binding property. MIPs composed of VAA, AAm, PA, and AB at optimized mole ratios of monomers and cross-linker showed the highest glucose-binding affinity, KD = 1.66 mM, which is comparable to that of a well-known glucose binding protein, concanavalin A (KD = 1.84 mM). The affinity between monomer and glucose was in the order VAA > AAm > AB > PA.