title: Influence of protein corona on the transport of molecules into cells by mesoporous silica nanoparticles.
abstract: Although there are several studies reporting the promising biological efficiency of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (loaded with antitumoral drugs) against cancer cells and tumors, there are no reports on the influence of the bio-nano interface interactions on the molecular diffusion process occurring along their pores. In this context, we show here that the protein coating formed on multifunctionalized colloidal mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) dispersed in a cell culture medium decreases the release of camptothecin (CPT, a hydrophobic antitumoral drug) from the pores of MSNs. This effect is related to the adsorption of biomolecules on the nanoparticle surface, which partially blocks the pores. Parallely, the hydrophobic functionalization inside the pores can offer suitable sites for the adsorption of other molecules present in the cell culture medium depending on the hydrophobicity, size, and conformation aspects of these molecules and adsorption sites of MSNs. Thus, the molecular cargo loaded in the pores (i.e. CPT) can be replaced by specific molecules present in the dispersion medium. As a consequence, we show that a non-permeable cellular staining molecule such as SYTOX green can be incorporated in MSNs through this mechanism and internalized by cells in an artificial fashion. By extrapolating this phenomenon for applications in vivo, one has to consider now the possible manifestation of unpredicted biological effects from the use of porous silica nanoparticles and others with similar structure due to these internalization aspects.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Química Biológica and †Laboratório de Química do Estado Sólido, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual de Campinas , 13083-970, Campinas-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amauri J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Roberto T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Araujo Júnior
authors.forename: Diego Stéfani T
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Edgar J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Paredes-Gamero
authors.forename: Helena B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Nader
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durán
authors.forename: Giselle Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Justo
authors.forename: Oswaldo Luiz
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D002417:Cattle; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004337:Drug Carriers; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D002166:Camptothecin