Protein coronas coating polymer-stabilized silver nanocolloids attenuate cytotoxicity with minor effects on antimicrobial performance

Author(s)

Batista, Carin C. S. ; Panico, Karine ; Trousil, Jiri ; Janouskova, Olga ; Castro, Carlos Eduardo de ; Stepanek, Petr ; Giacomelli, Fernando C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES; v. 218, p. 11-pg., 2022-08-20.

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles are versatile platforms with a variety of applications in the biomedical field. In this framework, their presence in biological media inevitably leads to the interaction with proteins thus conducting to the formation of biomolecular coronas. This feature alters the identity of the nanomaterial and may affect many biological events. These considerations motivated the investigation of protein adsorption onto the surface of polymer-stabilized AgNPs. The metallic colloids were coated by polyethyleneimine (PEI), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-b-P2VP), and nanoparticle-protein interaction was probed by using a library of analytical techniques. The experimental data revealed a higher extent of protein adsorption at the surface of AgNPs@PVP whereas PEO-b-P2VP coating conducted to the least amount. The main component of the protein coronas was evidenced to be bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is indeed the protein at the highest abundancy in the model biological media. We have further demonstrated reduced cytotoxicity of the silver colloids coated by biomolecular coronas as compared to the pristine counterparts. Nevertheless, the protein coatings did not notably reduce the antimicrobial performance of the polymer-stabilized AgNPs. Accordingly, although the protein-repelling property is frequently targeted towards longer in vivo circulation of nanoparticles, we herein underline that protein coatings, which are commonly treated as artifacts to be avoided, may indeed enhance the biological performance of nanomaterials. These findings are expected to be highly relevant in the design of polymer-stabilized metallic colloids intended to be used in healthcare. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/06634-8 - Manufacturing and biological evaluations of stimuli-responsive polymersomes towards enhanced efficacy of cancer therapies
• Grantee: Fernando Carlos Giacomelli
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/12071-6 - Tailoring colloids through supramolecular interactions: from fundamentals to applications
• Grantee: Watson Loh
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/24603-7 - Surface chemistry effects on the formation of protein corona over nano-sized silver colloids and its implications on cytotoxicity and biomedical applications
• Grantee: Carin Cristina da Silva Batista
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 19/03223-7 - Facing the polydispersity of polymer-stabilized silver nanocolloids by using microfluidics with further investigations on the thermodynamics of protein adsorption
• Grantee: Carin Cristina da Silva Batista
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate