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Polymer Scavenging and Profile of E. coli 0111:B4 Lipopolysaccharide by MALDI-TOF

Maria Fernanda de Mello Costa, Anatole Ivanow and Norton Holtz

Lipopolysaccharide is a component of the cell membrane of Gram negative bacteria and is a pro-inflammatory substance; small amounts present in the blood can be fatal to mammals. Scavenging of lipopolysaccharide from plasma has been attempted previously but the use of molecularly imprinted polymers for this purpose has not been described before. This preliminary study utilized a single lipopolysaccharide type to investigate scavenging by molecular polymers and used Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) to detect such scavenging. Commercially available LPS from E. coli O111:B4 was subjected to MALDI-TOF analysis to detect LPS profiles in solutions containing pure LPS or solutions that had been exposed to imprinted and non-imprinted polymers with scavenging potential. The current research suggests potential for molecularly imprinted polymers to be used as scavengers of LPS, although the imprinting protocols need optimization. MALDI-TOF is a suitable method for detection of LPS profiles and LPS elimination from samples.