Wearable Wireless Tyrosinase Bandage and Microneedle Sensors: Toward Melanoma Screening

Tyrosinase is a multifunctional, glycosylated, and copper-containing oxidase, which catalyzes the first two steps in mammalian melanogenesis and is responsible for enzymatic browning reactions in damaged fruits during post-harvest handling and processing. Neither hyperpigmentation in human skin nor enzymatic browning in fruits are desirable. These phenomena have encouraged researchers to seek new potent tyrosinase inhibitors for use in foods and cosmetics. This article surveys tyrosinase inhibitors newly discovered from natural and synthetic sources. The inhibitory strength is compared with that of a standard inhibitor, kojic acid, and their inhibitory mechanisms are discussed.

The present work describes the first example of real-time noninvasive lactate sensing in human perspiration during exercise events using a flexible printed temporary-transfer tattoo electrochemical biosensor that conforms to the wearer's skin. The new skin-worn enzymatic biosensor exhibits chemical selectivity toward lactate with linearity up to 20 mM and demonstrates resiliency against continuous mechanical deformation expected from epidermal wear. The device was applied successfully to human subjects for real-time continuous monitoring of sweat lactate dynamics during prolonged cycling exercise. The resulting temporal lactate profiles reflect changes in the production of sweat lactate upon varying the exercise intensity. Such skin-worn metabolite biosensors could lead to useful insights into physical performance and overall physiological status, hence offering considerable promise for diverse sport, military, and biomedical applications.