title: Protein corona as a proteome fingerprint: The example of hidden biomarkers for cow mastitis.
abstract: Proteome modifications in a biological fluid can potentially indicate the occurrence of pathologies, even if the identification of a proteome fingerprint correlated to a specific disease represents a very difficult task. When a nanomaterial is introduced into a biological fluid, macromolecules compete to form a protein corona on the nanoparticle surface, and depending on the specific proteome, different patterns of proteins will form the final protein corona shell depending on their affinity for the nanoparticle surface. Novel surface active maghemite nanoparticles (SAMNs) display a remarkable selectivity toward protein corona formation, and they are able to concentrate proteins and peptides presenting high affinities for their surface even if they are present in very low amounts. Thus, SAMNs may confer visibility to hidden biomarkers correlated to the occurrence of a pathology. In the present report, SAMNs were introduced into milk samples from healthy cows and from animals affected by mastitis, and the selectively bound protein corona shell was easily analyzed and quantified by gel electrophoresis and characterized by mass spectrometry. Upon incubation in mastitic milk, SAMNs were able to selectively bind αs2-casein fragments containing the FALPQYLK sequence, as part of the larger casocidin-1 peptide with strong antibacterial activity, which were not present in healthy samples. Thus, SAMNs can be used as a future candidate for the rapid diagnosis of mastitis in bovine milk. The present report proposes protein competition for SAMN protein corona formation as a means of mirroring proteome modifications. Thus, the selected protein shell on the nanoparticles results in a fingerprint of the specific pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Italy; Proteomics Facility, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miotto
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy; Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry and Experimental Physics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. Listopadu 1192/12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magro
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Milo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Italy; Proteomics Facility, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaccarin
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Da Dalt
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonaiuto
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baratella
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabai
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padua, Italy; Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry and Experimental Physics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, 17. Listopadu 1192/12, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic. Electronic address: fabio.vianello@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vianello
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002364:Caseins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008413:Mastitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000066970:Protein Corona / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D020543:Proteome / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002364:Caseins; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D008894:Milk Proteins; D000066970:Protein Corona; D020543:Proteome; C000499:ferric oxide
keywords: Biomarker; Magnetic nanoparticles; Mass spectrometry; Milk; Protein corona; mastitis