Interaction between myoglobin and hyaluronic acid in layer-by-layer structures—An electrochemical study

The layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembled film construction of the biocompatible polymer hyaluronic acid (HA) and single heme redox protein, myoglobin (Mb) is described. The films were built upon gold electrode substrates, both gold quartz crystal electrodes and bulk gold (Au(bulk)) electrodes, and formation of the LBL films was gravimetrically monitored by an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. The electrochemical properties of the hyaluronic acid/myoglobin films ({HA/Mb}n) were investigated after each deposition step using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The CV response presented an oxidation peak at +0.3 V vs. SCE, not characteristic of the redox protein myoglobin, and, the peak current decreased slightly with each additional bilayer. CV at Au(bulk) electrodes in pH 5.0 acetate buffer solution, containing Mb, presented the same oxidation peak as observed at {HA/Mb}n modified electrodes, confirming the presence of the same electroactive species. The Mb oxidation peak current depends linearly on scan rate, characteristic of adsorbed thin-layer electrochemical systems, attributed to free adsorbed heme. Impedance spectra, recorded after deposition of each bilayer, were in agreement with the cyclic voltammetry observations.