Tailor-Made Protein Corona Formation on Polystyrene Microparticles and its Effect on Epithelial Cell Uptake

Abstract

Microplastic particles are pollutants in the environment with a potential impact on ecology and human health. As soon as microplastic particles get in contact with complex (biological) environments, they will be covered by an eco-and/or protein corona. In this contribution, protein corona formation was conducted under defined laboratory conditions on polystyrene (PS) microparticles to investigate the influence on surface properties, protein corona evolution, particle−cell interactions, and uptake in two murine epithelial cells. To direct protein corona formation, PS particles were preincubated with five model proteins, namely, bovine serum albumin (BSA), myoglobin, β-lactoglobulin, lysozyme, and fibrinogen. Subsequently, the single-protein-coated particles were incubated in a cell culture medium containing a cocktail of serum proteins to analyze changes in the protein corona profile as well as in the binding kinetics of the model proteins. Therein, we could show that the precoating step has a critical impact on the final composition of the protein corona. Yet, since proteins building the primary corona were still detectable after additional incubations in a protein-containing medium, backtracking of the particle's history is possible. Interestingly, whereas the precoating history significantly disturbs particle−cell interactions (PCIs), the cellular response (i.e., metabolic activity, MTT assay) stays unaffected. Of note, lysozyme precoating revealed one of the highest rates in PCI for both epithelial cell lines. Taken together, we could show that particle history has a significant impact on protein corona formation and subsequently on the interaction of particles with murine intestinal epithelial-like cells. However, as this study was limited to one cell type, further work is needed to assess if these observations can be generalized to other cell types.

Amino-Acid-Derived Anionic Polyacrylamides with Tailored Hydrophobicity–Physicochemical Properties and Cellular Interactions

“…To gain important information about the protein fouling of P(AA–OH-AAm), we studied the interaction of two representatives, namely, P(Gly-OH-AAm) and P(Nva-OH-AAm), with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme. Here, BSA was chosen as a negatively charged model protein, while lysozyme represented a positively charged model protein . Fouling was analyzed by DLS measurements (Figures and S14 and Table S3), which provided information about the formation of aggregates over time.…”

Lipid Corona Formation on Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles Modulates Uptake and Toxicity in A549 Cells

“…With this rising problem of environmental pollution, the contact of mammalian and human bodies with MNPP is inevitable. Although the interaction of proteins with model plastic particles is studied well [ 29 , 30 , 31 ], little is known about the interaction of lipids with model polystyrene particles [ 32 ]. A corona forms around the particle when plastic particles contact biomolecules like proteins, lipids, and sugars.…”

A quantitative review of nanotechnology‐based therapeutics for kidney diseases

“…Mesoscale NPs (350-400 nm) have been found to enter the peritubular capillary endothelial cells by endocytosis and pass to the tubular epithelial cells from the basolateral side. NPs larger than 500 nm begin to exceed the limit for cellular uptake by epithelial cells (Jasinski et al, 2022) and, once at the micrometer scale (>1000 nm), may be stuck in the pulmonary capillary bed.…”