Speaker
Descrizione
Nanoparticle (NP)-based systems are widely employed in biomedical applications, and their therapeutic efficacy is mainly governed by interactions at the nano–bio interface, which ultimately dictate cellular recognition, uptake, intracellular trafficking, and biological response [1]. In particular, the formation of an interfacial protein corona (PC), resulting from the dynamic adsorption of biomolecular species onto the NP surface, profoundly alters their physicochemical properties. This, in turn, modulates receptor engagement, membrane-level interactions, and the intracellular pathways governing NP internalization [2]. Rather than constituting an unavoidable and inherently uncontrolled consequence of NP exposure to biologically relevant media, the PC can be rationally engineered to regulate NP biological identity [3,4]. This provides a powerful strategy to direct NP–cell interactions, thereby improving control over biodistribution and biological responses while potentially minimizing off-target accumulation. In the present work, the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and their subsequent surface functionalization with various ligands was assessed. At this regard, the variation of surface potential and NP pre-coating strategies with relevant biomolecules was assessed, and their influence over colloidal stability and corona protein formation was inspected. Furthermore, through systematic variation of surface ligands, chemically addressable functional groups were introduced onto the NP surface. These functionalities enabled subsequent covalent conjugation with selected biomolecules, establishing a versatile platform to investigate and modulate protein corona formation and its downstream effects on NP–cell interactions. Cellular response to the engineered NP systems was evaluated in terms of cell viability and morphological alterations across representative cancerous and non-cancerous cell models. Collectively, these results highlight the potential of engineered protein corona strategies to enable more predictable NP behavior in biological systems, with implications for the development of next-generation targeted drug delivery platforms and advanced nanotherapeutic applications.
References
[1] Sousa de Almeida M., Susnik E., Drasler, et al. Understanding Nanoparticle Endocytosis to Improve Targeting Strategies in Nanomedicine. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2021, 50 (9), 5397–5434. https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CS01127D.
[2] Xiao Q., Zoulikha M., et al. Effects of Protein Corona on in Vivo Fate of Nanocarriers. Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 2022, 186, 114356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addr.2022.114356.
[3] Barbalinardo M., Benvenuti E., et al. Impact of an Artificial Albumin Corona on Surface Charge-Driven Nano–Bio Interactions and Cytotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles. ACS Omega 2026. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.6c02733.
[4] Barbalinardo M., Chiarini F., et al. Surface Charge Overrides Protein Corona Formation in Determining the Cytotoxicity, Cellular Uptake, and Biodistribution of Silver Nanoparticles. ACS Appl. Bio Mater. 2025, 8 (6), 5032–5043. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.5c00392.
| Giovane Ricercatore (under 40) | Yes |
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