Interactions of nanomaterials with ion channels and related mechanisms

Abstract

The pharmacological potential of nanotechnology, especially in drug delivery and bioengineering, has developed rapidly in recent decades. Ion channels, which are easily targeted by external agents, such as nanomaterials (NMs) and synthetic drugs, due to their unique structures, have attracted increasing attention in the fields of nanotechnology and pharmacology for the treatment of ion channel-related diseases. NMs have significant effects on ion channels, and these effects are manifested in many ways, including changes in ion currents, kinetic characteristics and channel distribution. Subsequently, intracellular ion homeostasis, signalling pathways, and intracellular ion stores are affected, leading to the initiation of a range of biological processes. However, the effect of the interactions of NMs with ion channels is an interesting topic that remains obscure. In this review, we have summarized the recent research progress on the direct and indirect interactions between NMs and ion channels and discussed the related molecular mechanisms, which are crucial to the further development of ion channel-related nanotechnological applications. 1 | INTRODUCTION With the rapid development of nanotechnology, the biological effects of nanomaterials (NMs), ranging in size from 1-100 nm, size range have attracted substantial attention (Ou et al., 2016; L. Wang, Hu, & Shao, 2017). Because of their high surface energy, volume effects, and quantum size effects, NMs have prospective applications in biomedical fields, including biomedical imaging (Rosado-de-Castro,

Biostimulation and toxicity: The magnitude of the impact of nanomaterials in microorganisms and plants

“…1 ) and therefore, dictate the form and extent of the initial responses of the organisms [24] , [36] . When NMs take contact with soils and water environments, atmosphere or biological fluids, immediately form a corona; therefore, the first NMs-cell interaction occurs between the NḾs corona and the receptors and surface components of cell walls and membranes [5] , [26] , [37] . For the above reason, the same type of NMs, with the same properties in shape, size, composition, etc., will have a different impact on an organism, depending on the corona composition.…”

“…An example of the above is the toxicity of Cu when the concentration exceeds the levels of 25 mg kg −1 in plant tissues [4] . In this case, the toxicity is the result of the alteration of the functioning of the Ca 2+ and K + channels by interaction and blocking by Cu 2+ [5] . This dysfunction changes the distribution and balance of Ca 2+ , K + and Mg 2+ in plant cells, leading to the production of free radicals and the resultant oxidative stress [6] .…”

“…For ionic forms, the first line of defense in plants is the regulation of the concentration in the cytoplasm and other cellular compartments, using selective mechanisms based on transport proteins, channels, and endocytosis that mobilize the ions towards the vacuole or extrude them towards the apoplast [5] , [14] . Additionally, the transformation of metals and metalloids into less toxic or non-toxic chemical species can occur in microorganisms.…”

“…Another kind of NM-cell interaction depends on the great surface free energy of the NM. The surface energy makes NMs highly reactive, rapidly inducing modifications in cell walls and membranes and causing membrane damage and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other reactive species, modification of the activity of different integral proteins, and changes in the redox balance, energy metabolism, and ion transport [5] , [19] . The cell wall and membrane stimuli occur before NM is internalized to the cytoplasm and cell organelles.…”

The Puzzling Potential of Carbon Nanomaterials: General Properties, Application, and Toxicity

“…Transmembrane receptors obtained their names by a mechanism via which they transduce the signal and can be classified into three main categories: G-protein-coupled receptors [ 148 ], ion channel receptors [ 149 ], and enzyme-linked receptors [ 150 ]. Some receptors are placed inside the cell in different compartments such as cytosol [ 151 ], nucleus [ 152 ], and mitochondria [ 153 ].…”