title: Identifying new therapeutic targets via modulation of protein corona formation by engineered nanoparticles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We introduce a promising methodology to identify new therapeutic targets in cancer. Proteins bind to nanoparticles to form a protein corona. We modulate this corona by using surface-engineered nanoparticles, and identify protein composition to provide insight into disease development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using a family of structurally homologous nanoparticles we have investigated the changes in the protein corona around surface-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from normal and malignant ovarian cell lysates. Proteomics analysis using mass spectrometry identified hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) that is found exclusively on positively charged AuNPs ((+)AuNPs) after incubation with the lysates. We confirmed expression of HDGF in various ovarian cancer cells and validated binding selectivity to (+)AuNPs by Western blot analysis. Silencing of HDGF by siRNA resulted s inhibition in proliferation of ovarian cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We investigated the modulation of protein corona around surface-functionalized gold nanoparticles as a promising approach to identify new therapeutic targets. The potential of our method for identifying therapeutic targets was demonstrated through silencing of HDGF by siRNA, which inhibited proliferation of ovarian cancer cells. This integrated proteomics, bioinformatics, and nanotechnology strategy demonstrates that protein corona identification can be used to discover novel therapeutic targets in cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rochelle R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Arvizo
authors.forename: Karuna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Giri
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moyano
authors.forename: Oscar R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Resham
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rotello
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: Priyabrata
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C051610:hepatoma-derived growth factor; D006046:Gold