The biocorona: a challenge for the biomedical application of nanoparticles

Abstract

Formation of the biocorona on the surface of nanoparticles is a significant obstacle for the development of safe and effective nanotechnologies, especially for nanoparticles with biomedical applications. Following introduction into a biological environment, nanoparticles are rapidly coated with biomolecules resulting in formation of the nanoparticle-biocorona. The addition of these biomolecules alters the nanoparticle’s physicochemical characteristics, functionality, biodistribution, and toxicity. To synthesize effective nanotherapeutics and to more fully understand possible toxicity following human exposures, it is necessary to elucidate these interactions between the nanoparticle and the biological media resulting in biocorona formation. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms by which the addition of the biocorona governs nanoparticle-cell interactions is also required. Through elucidating the formation and the biological impact of the biocorona, the field of nanotechnology can reach its full potential. This understanding of the biocorona will ultimately allow for more effective laboratory screening of nanoparticles and enhanced biomedical applications. The importance of the nanoparticle-biocorona has been appreciated for a decade; however, there remain numerous future directions for research which are necessary for study. This perspectives article will summarize the unique challenges presented by the nanoparticle-biocorona and avenues of future needed investigation.

Hydrolyzed Ce(IV) salts limit sucrose-dependent biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans

“…This includes the potential for variable release and/or reduction of Ce(IV) ions on the CeO 2 -NP surface [10]. It has been previously observed that the protein (or biomolecular) corona on the surface of metal oxide NPs has a significant influence on the resultant biological activity [26,27]. In the present study, it was found that rigorous mixing of hydrolyzed Ce(IV) salts in the growth media prior to initiation of adherent bacteria assays reduced their inhibitory activity -supporting a significant role of both surface reactivity and the protein corona on the observed biological activity.…”

Comprehensive phenotyping and transcriptome profiling to study nanotoxicity inC. elegans

“…Exposure to nanoparticles has been linked to changes in the immune response such as inflammation, hypersensitivity and immunosuppression and has been shown to induce such responses through antigen-presenting cells in humans, highlighting the interaction between nanoparticles and the innate immune response (Alsaleh & Brown, 2018). Biocoronas, formed by the interaction of the nanoparticle surface with proteins and lipids, are highly reactive immunologically and have recently gained the attention of regulatory agencies (Shannahan, 2017). Table 3 Top 20 enriched biological pathways.…”

Recent insights on indirect mechanisms in developmental toxicity of nanomaterials

“…However, the combination of different models often requires compromises and substantial modification of the cultivation conditions (e.g., culture medium, cultivation time), and thus, the predictive value of the newly developed multitissue models should be carefully validated. For instance, the use of serum-free media is required for cultivation of embryonic SCs or neural precursor cells to prevent their differentiation, but this might affect the protein corona of NMs, which could alter NM uptake and biological responses in the cells (reviewed in [ 203 , 204 ]). Another challenge will be to distinguish between direct and indirect toxicity mechanisms for NMs that cross the placental barrier.…”