Molybdenum trioxide hybridized kaempferol: double-powered nanosystem for salvaging oxidative stress and electrochemical immunoprobing of interleukin-6

Intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) are the culprit in inflammation-linked diseases. Excessive radical generation triggers an inflammation cascade involving interleukin-6 (IL-6) and other cytokines release, causing oxidative stress to cells. Developing healthcare materials with dual-functionality controlling iROS and diagnosing IL-6 would be extremely beneficial for chronic inflammatory disease management. Herein, molybdenum trioxide hybridized kaempferol nanoparticles (MoHK NPs) have been synthesized with iROS scavenging and in situ electrochemical redox property for immunoassay of IL-6. Physicochemical integrity of nanosystem comprising MoHK NPs is characterized by X-ray absorption/photoelectron, Raman, and fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as well as scanning transmission electron microscopy–high-angle annular dark field microscopic analysis. In vitro radical scavenging mechanism of MoHK NPs was studied by electron paramagnetic spectroscopy. Distinctly, these MoHK NPs exhibit a clinically significant antioxidant function and cytocompatibility with RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. Bioaffinity layer–assisted monoclonal antibodies of IL-6 immobilized on MoHK electrode enable superior selectivity, electrochemical signal transduction (sensitivity 0.63 μA/fM/cm2), and rapid analytical response time even at ultralow IL-6 concentrations (detection limit 0.91 fM). This work demonstrates that hybridizing redox-active and antioxidant-rich phytochemical on metal oxide nanosystem can be a promising strategy for multifunctional theranostics. [Display omitted] •Hybridization of kaempferol with molybdenum trioxide nanoparticles (MoHK NPs).•Intracellular reactive oxygen species scavenging property of MoHK NPs.•Cytocompatibility, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory assay with RAW 264.7.•Highly selective and sensitive immunoassay of interleukin-6 using MoHK NPs as sensor probe.