1
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Steeves M, Combita D, Whelan W, Ahmed M. Chemotherapeutics-Loaded Poly(Dopamine) Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer Treatment. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 390:78-87. [PMID: 38296644 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemophotothermal therapy is an emerging treatment of metastatic and drug-resistant cancer anomalies. Among various photothermal agents tested, poly(dopamine) provides an excellent biocompatible alternative that can be used to develop novel drug delivery carriers for cancer treatment. This study explores the synthesis of starch-encapsulated, poly(dopamine)-coated core-shell nanoparticles in a one-pot synthesis approach and by surfactant-free approach. The nanoparticles produced are embellished with polymeric stealth coatings and are tested for their physiologic stability, photothermal properties, and drug delivery in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer cell (TNBC) lines. Our results indicate that stealth polymer-coated nanoparticles exhibit superior colloidal stability under physiologic conditions, and are excellent photothermal agents, as determined by the increase in temperature of solution in the presence of nanoparticles, upon laser irradiation. The chemotherapeutic drug-loaded nanoparticles also showed concentration-dependent toxicities in TNBC and in a brain metastatic cell line. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study develops, for the first time, biocompatible core-shell nanoparticles in a template-free approach that can serve as a drug delivery carrier and as photothermal agents for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Steeves
- Departments of Chemistry (M.S., D.C., M.A.) and Physics (W.W.) and Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (M.A.), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Diego Combita
- Departments of Chemistry (M.S., D.C., M.A.) and Physics (W.W.) and Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (M.A.), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - William Whelan
- Departments of Chemistry (M.S., D.C., M.A.) and Physics (W.W.) and Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (M.A.), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
| | - Marya Ahmed
- Departments of Chemistry (M.S., D.C., M.A.) and Physics (W.W.) and Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (M.A.), University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada
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2
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Yan R, Liu M, Zeng X, Du Q, Wu Z, Guo Y, Tu M, Pan D. Preparation of modified chitosan-based nano-TiO 2-nisin composite packaging film and preservation mechanism applied to chilled pork. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 269:131873. [PMID: 38677699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Here, we developed a nano-TiO2-nisin-modified chitosan composite packaging film and investigated its properties and antibacterial activity, as well as its effect on chilled pork preservation time. The results indicated that the preservation time of chilled pork coated with a nano-TiO2-nisin-modified chitosan film (including 0.7 g/L nano-TiO2, irradiated with ultraviolet light for 40 min, and dried for 6 h) followed by modified atmosphere packaging (50% CO2 + 50% N2) increased from 7 to 20 days at 4 °C. Both nano-TiO2 and nisin enhanced the mechanical strength of the chitosan film, and nisin promoted nano-TiO2 dispersion and compatibility in chitosan. Treatment with 0.4 g/L nano-TiO2 for 60 min considerably inhibited spoilage bacteria, particularly Acinetobacter johnnii XBB1 (A. johnnii XBB1). As nano-TiO2 concentration and photocatalytic time increased, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ leakage in A. johnnii XBB1 increased but Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase activities decreased. In A. johnnii XBB1, TiO2 significantly downregulated the expression of putrefaction-related genes such as cysM and inhibited cell self-regulation and membrane wall system repair. Therefore, our nano-TiO2-nisin-modified chitosan film could extend the shelf life without the addition of any chemical preservatives, demonstrating great potential for application in food preservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Mingxue Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Xiaoqun Zeng
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
| | - Qiwei Du
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Yuxing Guo
- School of Food Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Maolin Tu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Daodong Pan
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Protein Food Processing Technology of Zhejiang Province, College of Food Science and Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China; Zhejiang-Malaysia Joint Research Laboratory for Agricultural Product Processing and Nutrition, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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3
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Donadoni E, Siani P, Frigerio G, Milani C, Cui Q, Di Valentin C. The effect of polymer coating on nanoparticles' interaction with lipid membranes studied by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. NANOSCALE 2024. [PMID: 38646798 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00495g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Nanoparticles' (NPs) permeation through cell membranes, whether it happens via passive or active transport, is an essential initial step for their cellular internalization. The NPs' surface coating impacts the way they translocate through the lipid bilayer and the spontaneity of the process. Understanding the molecular details of NPs' interaction with cell membranes allows the design of nanosystems with optimal characteristics for crossing the lipid bilayer: computer simulations are a powerful tool for this purpose. In this work, we have performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations on spherical titanium dioxide NPs conjugated with polymer chains of different chemical compositions. We have demonstrated that the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the chains, more than the nature of their terminal group, plays a crucial role in determining the NPs' interaction with the lipid bilayer and the thermodynamic spontaneity of NPs' translocation from water to the membrane. We envision that this computational work will be helpful to the experimental community in terms of the rational design of NPs for efficient cell membrane permeation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Donadoni
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy.
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Paulo Siani
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy.
| | - Giulia Frigerio
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy.
| | - Carolina Milani
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy.
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Cristiana Di Valentin
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy.
- BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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4
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Wang J, Xu Y, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Jia J, Jiao P, Liu Y, Su G. Modulating the toxicity of engineered nanoparticles by controlling protein corona formation: Recent advances and future prospects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169590. [PMID: 38154635 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid development and widespread application of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), understanding the fundamental interactions between ENPs and biological systems is essential to assess and predict the fate of ENPs in vivo. When ENPs are exposed to complex physiological environments, biomolecules quickly and inevitably adsorb to ENPs to form a biomolecule corona, such as a protein corona (PC). The formed PC has a significant effect on the physicochemical properties of ENPs and gives them a brand new identity in the biological environment, which determines the subsequent ENP-cell/tissue/organ interactions. Controlling the formation of PCs is therefore of utmost importance to accurately predict and optimize the behavior of ENPs within living organisms, as well as ensure the safety of their applications. In this review, we provide an overview of the fundamental aspects of the PC, including the formation mechanism, composition, and frequently used characterization techniques. We comprehensively discuss the potential impact of the PC on ENP toxicity, including cytotoxicity, immune response, and so on. Additionally, we summarize recent advancements in manipulating PC formation on ENPs to achieve the desired biological outcomes. We further discuss the challenges and prospects, aiming to provide valuable insights for a better understanding and prediction of ENP behaviors in vivo, as well as the development of low-toxicity ENPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yuhang Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Digestive Diseases Center, the Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510001, China; Center for Gastrointestinal Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 510001 Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianbo Jia
- Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Peifu Jiao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qilu Normal University, Jinan 250200, China
| | - Yin Liu
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China.
| | - Gaoxing Su
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China.
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5
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Frigerio G, Donadoni E, Siani P, Vertemara J, Motta S, Bonati L, Gioia LD, Valentin CD. Mechanism of RGD-conjugated nanodevice binding to its target protein integrin α Vβ 3 by atomistic molecular dynamics and machine learning. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:4063-4081. [PMID: 38334981 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05123d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Active targeting strategies have been proposed to enhance the selective uptake of nanoparticles (NPs) by diseased cells, and recent experimental findings have proven the effectiveness of this approach. However, no mechanistic studies have yet revealed the atomistic details of the interactions between ligand-activated NPs and integrins. As a case study, here we investigate, by means of advanced molecular dynamics simulations (MD) and machine learning methods (namely equilibrium MD, binding free energy calculations and training of self-organized maps), the interaction of a cyclic-RGD-conjugated PEGylated TiO2 NP (the nanodevice) with the extracellular segment of integrin αVβ3 (the target), the latter experimentally well-known to be over-expressed in several solid tumors. Firstly, we proved that the cyclic-RGD ligand binding to the integrin pocket is established and kept stable even in the presence of the cumbersome realistic model of the nanodevice. In this respect, the unsupervised machine learning analysis allowed a detailed comparison of the ligand/integrin binding in the presence and in the absence of the nanodevice, which unveiled differences in the chemical features. Then, we discovered that unbound cyclic RGDs conjugated to the NP largely contribute to the interactions between the nanodevice and the integrin. Finally, by increasing the density of cyclic RGDs on the PEGylated TiO2 NP, we observed a proportional enhancement of the nanodevice/target binding. All these findings can be exploited to achieve an improved targeting selectivity and cellular uptake, and thus a more successful clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Frigerio
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Edoardo Donadoni
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Paulo Siani
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Jacopo Vertemara
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Motta
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Bonati
- Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Luca De Gioia
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristiana Di Valentin
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
- BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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6
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Lee H. Separation of protein corona from nanoparticles under intracellular acidic conditions: effect of protonation on nanoparticle-protein and protein-protein interactions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:4000-4010. [PMID: 38224098 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04887j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Protein coronas separate from nanoparticles under intracellular acidic conditions however, competitive adsorption of multiple proteins and their protein network formation under different pH conditions have not yet been systematically studied at the atomic scale. Herein, we report all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of plasma proteins (human serum albumin and immunoglobulin gamma-1 chain C) adsorbed to 10 nm-sized carboxyl-terminated polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles at different protonation states that mimic extracellular and intracellular pH conditions of 7, 6-5, and 4.5. Binding free energies are calculated from umbrella sampling simulations, showing the significantly weakened binding between PS particles and proteins at the protonation state at pH 4.5, in agreement with experiments showing the separation of protein corona from nanoparticles at pH 4.5. Mixtures of multiple proteins and PS particles are also simulated, showing much less protein adsorption and protein cluster formation at the protonation state at pH 4.5 than that at higher pH values, which are further confirmed by calculating the diffusivities and hydrodynamic radii of individual proteins. In particular, electrostatic particle-protein and protein-protein interactions are significantly weakened by a combination of particle and protein protonation rather than by particle protonation alone, to an extent dependent on different proteins. These findings help explain the experimental observations regarding separation of protein corona from nanoparticles under intracellular acidic conditions at pH 4.5 but not at higher pH, supporting that acidification cannot be the only reason for this separation during the process of endosome maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwankyu Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin-si, 16890, South Korea.
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7
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Donadoni E, Frigerio G, Siani P, Motta S, Vertemara J, De Gioia L, Bonati L, Di Valentin C. Molecular Dynamics for the Optimal Design of Functionalized Nanodevices to Target Folate Receptors on Tumor Cells. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2023; 9:6123-6137. [PMID: 37831005 PMCID: PMC10646887 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Atomistic details on the mechanism of targeting activity by biomedical nanodevices of specific receptors are still scarce in the literature, where mostly ligand/receptor pairs are modeled. Here, we use atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, free energy calculations, and machine learning approaches on the case study of spherical TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with folic acid (FA) as the targeting ligand of the folate receptor (FR). We consider different FA densities on the surface and different anchoring approaches, i.e., direct covalent bonding of FA γ-carboxylate or through polyethylene glycol spacers. By molecular docking, we first identify the lowest energy conformation of one FA inside the FR binding pocket from the X-ray crystal structure, which becomes the starting point of classical MD simulations in a realistic physiological environment. We estimate the binding free energy to be compared with the existing experimental data. Then, we increase complexity and go from the isolated FA to a nanosystem decorated with several FAs. Within the simulation time framework, we confirm the stability of the ligand-receptor interaction, even in the presence of the NP (with or without a spacer), and no significant modification of the protein secondary structure is observed. Our study highlights the crucial role played by the spacer, FA protonation state, and density, which are parameters that can be controlled during the nanodevice preparation step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Donadoni
- Dipartimento
di Scienza dei Materiali, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Frigerio
- Dipartimento
di Scienza dei Materiali, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Paulo Siani
- Dipartimento
di Scienza dei Materiali, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Stefano Motta
- Dipartimento
di Scienze dell’Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Jacopo Vertemara
- Dipartimento
di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza
della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Luca De Gioia
- Dipartimento
di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza
della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Bonati
- Dipartimento
di Scienze dell’Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano, Italy
| | - Cristiana Di Valentin
- Dipartimento
di Scienza dei Materiali, Università
di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
- BioNanoMedicine
Center NANOMIB, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Follereau 3, 20854 Vedano al Lambro, Italy
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8
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Bashiri G, Padilla MS, Swingle KL, Shepherd SJ, Mitchell MJ, Wang K. Nanoparticle protein corona: from structure and function to therapeutic targeting. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:1432-1466. [PMID: 36655824 PMCID: PMC10013352 DOI: 10.1039/d2lc00799a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle (NP)-based therapeutics have ushered in a new era in translational medicine. However, despite the clinical success of NP technology, it is not well-understood how NPs fundamentally change in biological environments. When introduced into physiological fluids, NPs are coated by proteins, forming a protein corona (PC). The PC has the potential to endow NPs with a new identity and alter their bioactivity, stability, and destination. Additionally, the conformation of proteins is sensitive to their physical and chemical surroundings. Therefore, biological factors and protein-NP-interactions can induce changes in the conformation and orientation of proteins in vivo. Since the function of a protein is closely connected to its folded structure, slight differences in the surrounding environment as well as the surface characteristics of the NP materials may cause proteins to lose or gain a function. As a result, this can alter the downstream functionality of the NPs. This review introduces the main biological factors affecting the conformation of proteins associated with the PC. Then, four types of NPs with extensive utility in biomedical applications are described in greater detail, focusing on the conformation and orientation of adsorbed proteins. This is followed by a discussion on the instances in which the conformation of adsorbed proteins can be leveraged for therapeutic purposes, such as controlling protein conformation in assembled matrices in tissue, as well as controlling the PC conformation for modulating immune responses. The review concludes with a perspective on the remaining challenges and unexplored areas at the interface of PC and NP research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghazal Bashiri
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Marshall S Padilla
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kelsey L Swingle
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sarah J Shepherd
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karin Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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9
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Lee H. Differences in protein distribution, conformation, and dynamics in hard and soft coronas: dependence on protein and particle electrostatics. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:7496-7507. [PMID: 36853334 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp05936c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
We perform all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a 9 nm-thick protein layer, which consists of serum albumin (SA) or a mixture of SA and immunoglobulin gamma-1, formed on 10 nm-sized cationic, anionic, and neutral polystyrene particles. More than half of the proteins are densely concentrated within a distance of ∼3 nm from the particle surface, while fewer proteins are broadly distributed in the range of 3-9 nm from the particle. This compares favorably with the experimental observations of a hard corona as the first layer adjacent to the particle and a soft corona as a loose protein-network. The conformation and diffusivity of the proteins vary in different positions of the layer, and are to an extent dependent on the protein and particle electrostatics. These, combined with free energy calculations, show that the protein and particle charges do not significantly modify the strength of protein-particle binding but do influence the distribution of proteins in the layer. In particular, a free protein more strongly binds to the complex of a protein and particle than to either one, showing the synergistic effect of already adsorbed proteins and a particle. This helps explain the experimental observation regarding the formation of a denser protein layer and the stronger protein-protein interaction in the hard corona than the soft corona.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwankyu Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dankook University, Yongin-si, 16890, South Korea.
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10
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Donadoni E, Siani P, Frigerio G, Di Valentin C. Multi-scale modeling of folic acid-functionalized TiO 2 nanoparticles for active targeting of tumor cells. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:12099-12116. [PMID: 35959762 PMCID: PMC9404434 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr02603a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Strategies based on the active targeting of tumor cells are emerging as smart and efficient nanomedical procedures. Folic acid (FA) is a vitamin and a well-established tumor targeting agent because of its strong affinity for the folate receptor (FR), which is an overexpressed protein on the cell membranes of the tumor cells. FA can be successfully anchored to several nanocarriers, including inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) based on transition metal oxides. Among them, TiO2 is extremely interesting because of its excellent photoabsorption and photocatalytic properties, which can be exploited in photodynamic therapy. However, it is not yet clear in which respects direct anchoring of FA to the NP or the use of spacers, based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains, are different and whether one approach is better than the other. In this work, we combine Quantum Mechanics (QM) and classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) to design and optimize the FA functionalization on bare and PEGylated TiO2 models and to study the dynamical behavior of the resulting nanoconjugates in a pure water environment and in physiological conditions. We observe that they are chemically stable, even under the effect of increasing temperature (up to 500 K). Using the results from long MD simulations (100 ns) and from free energy calculations, we determine how the density of FA molecules on the TiO2 NP and the presence of PEG spacers impact on the actual exposure of the ligands, especially by affecting the extent of FA-FA intermolecular interactions, which are detrimental for the targeting ability of FA towards the folate receptor. This analysis provides a solid and rational basis for experimentalists to define the optimal FA density and the more appropriate mode of anchoring to the carrier, according to the final purpose of the nanoconjugate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Donadoni
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Paulo Siani
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Giulia Frigerio
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Cristiana Di Valentin
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano-Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
- BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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11
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Siani P, Frigerio G, Donadoni E, Di Valentin C. Molecular dynamics simulations of cRGD-conjugated PEGylated TiO 2 nanoparticles for targeted photodynamic therapy. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 627:126-141. [PMID: 35842963 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The conjugation of high-affinity cRGD-containing peptides is a promising approach in nanomedicine to efficiently reduce off-targeting effects and enhance the cellular uptake by integrin-overexpressing tumor cells. Herein we utilize atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate key structural-functional parameters of these targeting ligands for an effective binding activity towards αVβ3 integrins. An increasing number of cRGD ligands is conjugated to PEG chains grafted to highly curved TiO2 nanoparticles to unveil the impact of cRGD density on the ligand's presentation, stability, and conformation in an explicit aqueous environment. We find that a low density leads to an optimal spatial presentation of cRGD ligands out of the "stealth" PEGylated layer around the nanosystem, favoring a straight upward orientation and spaced distribution of the targeting ligands in the bulk-water phase. On the contrary, high densities favor over-clustering of cRGD ligands, driven by a concerted mechanism of enhanced ligand-ligand interactions and reduced water accessibility over the ligand's molecular surface. These findings strongly suggest that the ligand density modulation is a key factor in the design of cRGD-targeting nanodevices to maximize their binding efficiency into over-expressed αVβ3 integrin receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Siani
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Frigerio
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Edoardo Donadoni
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy
| | - Cristiana Di Valentin
- Dipartimento di Scienza dei Materiali, Università di Milano Bicocca, via R. Cozzi 55, 20125 Milano, Italy; BioNanoMedicine Center NANOMIB, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy.
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