This work presents a dual, non-invasive approach for the detection of elevated level of metals in patients with liver disease. A highly sensitive, 'pincer' scavenger is synthesized here for the quantification of copper in serum. For the in vitro diagnostics, the technique will involve only routine capillary blood sampling or venipuncture to devoid of the need for liver biopsy. The organic scavenger molecule showed high specificity towards Cu2+ with a detection sensitivity of 1.35x10-2 �g/L in mouse serum. Furthermore, for the systemic detection of copper in liver, a polymeric nanopincer has been designed and studied. The small molecule scavengers were stably incorporated into polymeric micelles via its long acyl chains and were shown to be a carrier predominately towards the liver when injected intravenously in mice. The organic scavenger molecule has been shown to be highly fluorescent and specific towards Cu2+ and can potentially help ameliorate diseases regarding accretion of copper in certain vital organs. The strategy and the results for the first time provided a non-invasive dual nanomedicinal approach for the early sensing and treatment of excessive metal deposits in the human organs.

Dual strategy for sensing metals with a nano-pincer scavenger in vitro and systemically for patients with liver diseases

248th National Meeting (2014)

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