Interaction of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles and Specific Proteins of the Corona Studied by Surface Plasmon Resonance

Abstract

The applications of pharmaceutical and medical nanosystems are among the most intensively investigated fields in nanotechnology. A relevant point to be considered in the design and development of nanovehicles intended for medical use is the formation of the "protein corona" around the nanoparticle, that is, a complex biomolecular layer formed when the nanovehicle is exposed to biological fluids. The chemical nature of the protein corona determines the biological identity of the nanoparticle and influences, among others, the recognition of the nanocarrier by the mononuclear phagocytic system and, thus, its clearance from the blood. Recent works suggest that Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), extensively employed for the analysis of biomolecular interactions, can shed light on the formation of the protein corona and its interaction with the surroundings. The synthesis and characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) coated with polymers of different chemical nature (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol, chitosans) are reported. The proof-of-concept for the use of SPR technique in characterizing protein-nanoparticle interactions of surface-immobilized proteins (immunoglobulin G and bovine serum albumin, both involved in the formation of the corona) subjected to flowing SLN is demonstrated for non-chitosan-coated nanoparticles. All assayed nanosystems show more preference for IgG than for BSA, such preference being more pronounced in the case of polyvinyl-alcohol-coated SLN.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery: Pharmacological and Biopharmaceutical Aspects

“…Ideally, the drug carrier should be rapidly removed from the body after the drug has been released. Lipid-based NPs sizes are far over the renal filtration threshold (Yang et al, 2019), for what, once in the bloodstream, they have to be opsonized by serum proteins and subsequently uptaken by the MPS in specialized organs (i.e., liver, kidney, spleen, lungs, and lymph nodes) for their efficient elimination from the body (Di Ianni et al, 2017). Despite the fact that fenestrations in the spleen may filter out particles larger than 200 nm, particle deformability can allow large particles to squeeze through them and remain in the bloodstream (Park et al, 2017).…”

Understanding the Factors Influencing Chitosan-Based Nanoparticles-Protein Corona Interaction and Drug Delivery Applications

“…The PDI of the chitosan-based NPs presented in Table 1 ranges between 0.009 [ 39 ] and 0.48 [ 46 ]. As the value of this parameter influences the drug release kinetics and cellular uptake in drug-delivery applications of NPs, it seems important to choose an appropriate preparation method of chitosan-based NPs in order to obtain a low polydispersity and a homogeneous product [ 63 ].…”

“…In these conditions the measured zeta potential values are close to neutral. However, in body fluids (and in other buffer types) the chitosan-based NPs have a more negative value of zeta potential allowing these particles to show strong mucoadhesivity and interaction with negatively charged surfaces [ 63 ].…”

Relevant Physicochemical Methods to Functionalize, Purify, and Characterize Surface-Decorated Lipid-Based Nanocarriers

“…Selected proteins (immunoglobulin G and bovine serum albumin, both involved in the formation of the corona) were also immobilized in the sensor surface that was subjected to the flow of SLN solutions. In this case, SPR was successfully used to monitor protein–nanoparticle interactions involved in the formation of the corona and to mimic different circulations times in the bloodstream …”