Fluorescence labels may significantly affect the protein adsorption on hydrophilic nanomaterials

Fluorescently labelled proteins are often used to study processes in vitro, e.g. the binding of proteins to cell surfaces or the adsorption of plasma proteins on drug nanocarriers. However, the fact that the fluorescent labelling may affect the protein properties is frequently neglected. On the example of a simple model system, we reiterate the importance of this issue by showing that even a single label may perturb interactions between hydrophilic starch-based nanocapsules and serum albumin and thus prevent binding.