Controllable Engineering and Functionalizing of Nanoparticles for Targeting Specific Proteins towards Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Nanoparticles have been widely used in important biomedical applications such as imaging, drug delivery, and disease therapy, in which targeting toward specific proteins is often essential. However, current targeting strategies mainly rely on surface modification with bioligands, which not only often fail to provide desired properties but also remain challenging. Here an unprecedented approach is reported, called reverse microemulsion‐confined epitope‐oriented surface imprinting and cladding (ROSIC), for facile, versatile, and controllable engineering coreless and core/shell nanoparticles with tunable monodispersed size as well as specific targeting capability toward proteins and peptides. Via engineering coreless imprinted and cladded silica nanoparticles, the effectiveness and superiority over conventional imprinting of the proposed approach are first verified. The prepared nanoparticles exhibit both high specificity and high affinity. Using quantum dots, superparamagnetic nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, and upconverting nanoparticles as a representative set of core substrates, a variety of imprinted and cladded single‐core/shell nanoparticles are then successfully prepared. Finally, using imprinted and cladded fluorescent nanoparticles as probes, in vitro targeted imaging of triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and in vivo targeted imaging of TNBC‐bearing mice are achieved. This approach opens a new avenue to engineering of nanoparticles for targeting specific proteins, holding great prospects in biomedical applications.

Recent advances in protein-imprinted polymers: synthesis, applications and challenges

“…Inspired by the good performance in vitro experiment, the CD-embedded PIPs were further successfully used for the target imaging of tumour cells with overexpressing EGFR in mice. Guo et al 153 developed a general approach called reverse microemulsion-confined epitope-oriented surface imprinting and cladding (ROSIC) to fabricate coreless and core/shell NPs with specific target capability toward proteins and peptides. A series of NPs, including QDs, SPMNPs (superparamagnetic NPs), AgNPs and UCNPs were used as substrates to obtain a variety of size controllable dual-functional single-core@cMIP NPs.…”

Non-autofluorescence Detection of H5N1 Virus Using Photochemical Aptamer Sensors Based on Persistent Luminescent Nanoparticles

“…Commonly used virus detection methods include isolating and culturing the viruses, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, etc. − However, these methods are often expensive and slow to implement, and results can be hampered by poor selectivity and low sensitivity. To quickly and conveniently achieve viral detection with high specificity and high sensitivity, molecular imprinting technology, which has been widely used in the detection of small molecules and proteins, has gradually attracted scientists’ attention. − This technology utilizes compatible morphological features between an imprinting cavity and the target molecule as well as hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and hydrophobic interactions to recognize the target molecule with high selectivity. − …”

Molecularly Imprinted and Cladded Nanoparticles Provide Better Phosphorylation Recognition

“…In fact, the conventional molecular imprinting strategy often suffers a dilemma. 45,46 Cavities are generated by imprinting to specifically bind the template but nonimprinted area on the imprinted materials may give rise to degraded specificity due to nonspecific binding. To solve this issue, a new strategy termed molecular imprinting and cladding (MIC) has been developed recently.…”

“…To solve this issue, a new strategy termed molecular imprinting and cladding (MIC) has been developed recently. 45,46 The core of this strategy relies on an additional processing called cladding after imprinting to form a functionally inert thin layer to cover nonimprinting area on the imprinted polymers. This strategy has proved to be superior to conventional imprinting particularly.…”

“…In fact, the conventional molecular imprinting strategy often suffers a dilemma. , Cavities are generated by imprinting to specifically bind the template but nonimprinted area on the imprinted materials may give rise to degraded specificity due to nonspecific binding. To solve this issue, a new strategy termed molecular imprinting and cladding (MIC) has been developed recently. , The core of this strategy relies on an additional processing called cladding after imprinting to form a functionally inert thin layer to cover nonimprinting area on the imprinted polymers. This strategy has proved to be superior to conventional imprinting particularly.…”