@article{doi:10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05079,

title = {Hyaluronic Acid-Coated Solid Lipid Nanoparticles-Functionalized Quartz-Crystal Microbalance (QCM) Immunosensor for Label-Free Haptoglobin Detection: Toward Monitoring of Neuroinflammation},

author = {Mariagrazia Lettieri and Luigi Talarico and Giulia Gabbricci and Ilaria Clemente and Simone Pepi and Elia Landi and Ada Fort and Valerio Vignoli and Gabriella Tamasi and Agnese Magnani and Marco Consumi},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05079},

doi = {10.1021/acs.analchem.5c05079},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-11-10},

journal = {Analytical Chemistry},

volume = {0},

number = {0},

pages = {null},

abstract = {Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) have distinct molecular mechanisms but share pathological hallmarks, such as dopaminergic neuron degeneration, cognitive decline, and neuroinflammation. These are strongly linked to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, associated with elevated levels of systemic biomarkers, such as haptoglobin (Hp), an acute-phase inflammatory glycoprotein. However, current Hp detection methods are costly, time-consuming, and insufficiently sensitive, while ND biomarkers require highly invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling. To overcome these limitations, we developed the first quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM)-based immunobiosensor for rapid quantification of human Hp in human serum, offering a less invasive alternative. The system employs a custom QCM-R device for high-resolution frequency/resistance measurements. Fabrication included functionalization of the quartz surface with a thiolated polyethylene glycol amine self-assembled monolayer, followed by immobilization of hyaluronic acid-coated solid lipid nanoparticles (HA-SLNs)─used here for the first time─and covalent attachment of Hp antibodies. The biosensor showed robust performance with high sensitivity (612.10 ± 28.14 μg mL–1), reproducibility (average coefficient of variation, CVav% = 0.50%), selectivity, and excellent limits of detection (0.063 ± 0.003 μg mL–1) and quantification (0.21 ± 0.01 μg mL–1). Surface modifications were validated via time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). This platform offers a cost-effective, user-friendly alternative for the monitoring of neuroinflammation associated with ND progression by eliminating the need for CSF sampling.},

note = {PMID: 41213589},

keywords = {Biopolymers, Crystals, Nervous system diseases, openQCM, peptides, proteins, QCM, Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM), sensors},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c03277,

title = {Synergistic Stabilization of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Using a Binary Mixture of Chitosan and Hydroxypropyl Cellulose},

author = {O. Norvilaite and C. Lindsay and M. J. Rymaruk and P. Taylor and S. P. Armes},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c03277},

doi = {10.1021/acs.langmuir.5c03277},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-08-28},

journal = {Langmuir},

volume = {0},

number = {0},

pages = {null},

abstract = {A judicious binary mixture of chitosan and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) has been used to prepare a series of oil-in-water emulsions via high-shear homogenization at pH 4.9. Employing either biopolymer alone results in markedly inferior emulsion stability, suggesting a synergistic effect. Laser diffraction studies indicate that an optimum chitosan/HPC mass ratio of 5:5 produces the finest, most stable droplets. As expected, smaller oil droplets are produced when employing either higher shear or higher biopolymer concentration, and the mean droplet diameter can be tuned from 5 to 30 μm by adjusting these two parameters. However, the droplet diameter is surprisingly insensitive to the oil mass fraction. Such emulsions remain stable between pH 2.6 and pH 5.9. This binary stabilizer approach works well for a range of model oils. Aqueous electrophoresis measurements indicate that the chitosan component confers substantial cationic surface charge on the droplets. After homogenization, the mean droplet diameter can be gradually increased in a relatively controlled manner by storing the emulsion at 40 °C for up to 48 h. Given the biodegradable and biorenewable nature of chitosan and HPC, the versatile nature of this dual emulsifier system suggests its suitability for a wide range of formulations.},

note = {PMID: 40875375},

keywords = {Biopolymers, cellulose, emulsions, lipids, Liquids, openQCM NEXT, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM)},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}