title: Stealth effect of biomolecular corona on nanoparticle uptake by immune cells.
abstract: When injected in a biological milieu, a nanomaterial rapidly adsorbs biomolecules forming a biomolecular corona. The biomolecular corona changes the interfacial composition of a nanomaterial giving it a biological identity that determines the physiological response. Characterization of the biomolecular structure and composition has received increasing attention mostly due to its detrimental impact on the nanomaterial's metabolism in vivo. It is generally accepted that an opsonin-enriched biomolecular corona promotes immune system recognition and rapid clearance from circulation. Here we applied dynamic light scattering and nanoliquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to thoroughly characterize the biomolecular corona formed around lipid and silica nanoparticles (NPs). Incubation with human plasma resulted in the formation of NP-biomolecular coronas enriched with immunoglobulins, complement factors, and coagulation proteins that bind to surface receptors on immune cells and elicit phagocytosis. Conversely, we found that protein-coated NPs were protected from uptake by macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. This implies that the biomolecular corona formation provides a stealth effect on macrophage recognition. Our results suggest that correct prediction of the NP's fate in vivo will require more than just the knowledge of the biomolecular corona composition. Validation of efficient methods for mapping protein binding sites on the biomolecular corona of NPs is an urgent task for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome , Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caracciolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome , Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palchetti
authors.affiliation: Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colapicchioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome , Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy.|Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, University of Camerino , Via Gentile III da Varano, Camerino, Province of Macerata 62032, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Digiacomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, "Sapienza" University of Rome , Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, "Sapienza" University of Rome , P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Laura
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Capriotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, "Sapienza" University of Rome , P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Barbera
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, "Sapienza" University of Rome , P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laganà
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D004705:Endocytosis; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000378:metabolism*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D055815:Young Adult