Biomimetic High-Throughput Screening Platform for SGLT-2 Inhibitors Using HK-2 Cell Membrane

Sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) is a membrane transporter protein that is utilized for glucose reabsorption in the kidneys. SGLT-2 inhibitors have been widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, SGLT-2 inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and heart failure, with an increasing utilization of these agents. This has resulted in an increasing necessity for a precise and high-throughput SGLT-2 inhibitor screening platform. In this study, we present a biomimetic, high-throughput SGLT-2 inhibitor screening platform. The platform employs glucose oxidase immobilized gold nanoparticles coated with human kidney 2 (HK-2) cell membrane (HK-GOx-AuNPs). Upon the addition of a solution comprising glucose, ABTS, and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to the HK-GOx-AuNP solution, an absorbance peak at a wavelength of 535 nm is observed, resulting from the oxidation of ABTS. However, the absorbance intensity is significantly reduced in the case of HK-GOx-AuNPs that have undergone reaction with SGLT-2 inhibitors. The difference in absorbance intensity between the presence and absence of the inhibitor can be used to quantify the efficacy of the inhibitor, with the evaluation of inhibitor candidates completed in 20 minutes.