Multifunctional Synthetic Protein Nanoparticles via Reactive Electrojetting

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Protein nanoparticles offer a promising avenue for nanotherapeutics due to their inherent biodegradability and versatile functionalities.
• Existing methods often rely on inert polymers, limiting the scope of functionalization and responsiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an adaptable synthesis method for creating synthetic protein nanoparticles (SPNPs) using reactive electrojetting.
• To demonstrate the versatility of SPNPs in terms of protein composition, size control, and functional responsiveness.
• To explore the potential for creating multicompartmental protein nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized reactive electrojetting with solutions containing proteins and chemically activated macromers.
• Engineered SPNPs from various proteins including transferrin, insulin, and hemoglobin.
• Developed stimuli-responsive SPNPs by incorporating disulfide-containing macromers.
• Prepared bicompartmental nanoparticles by combining human serum albumin and transferrin.

Main Results:

• Achieved stable and uniform SPNPs with monodisperse sizes around 200 nm under physiological conditions.
• Demonstrated stimuli-responsive behavior in transferrin-based SPNPs, enabling detection of oxidative stress in HeLa cells.
• Successfully fabricated bicompartmental SPNPs with distinct protein hemispheres.

Conclusions:

• Reactive electrojetting provides a versatile platform for synthesizing tunable protein nanoparticles.
• SPNPs can be engineered for specific biological responses and complex architectures.
• This technology opens new possibilities for advanced nanotherapeutics and controlled drug delivery systems.