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Quantifying the effect of PEG architecture on nanoparticle ligand availability using DNA-PAINT
Teodora Andrian1, Silvia Pujals1, Lorenzo Albertazzi1,2
1Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology Baldiri Reixac 15-21 08028 Barcelona Spain l.albertazzi@tue.nl lalbertazzi@ibecbarcelona.eu spujals@ibecbarcelona.eu.
Investigating nanoparticle functionality requires advanced techniques. Super-resolution microscopy revealed how poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) spacer length impacts surface accessibility in poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-PEG nanoparticles.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Biophysics
Background:
- Polymer architecture significantly influences nanoparticle (NP) functionality, but detailed investigation, especially at the single-particle level, remains challenging.
- Poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles are widely used, and understanding their surface properties is crucial for optimizing their performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) architecture on the surface functionality of PLGA-PEG nanoparticles.
- To demonstrate the utility of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) for analyzing nanoparticle surface characteristics at the nanoscale.
Main Methods:
- Application of DNA Point Accumulation for Imaging in Nanoscale Topography (DNA-PAINT), a super-resolution microscopy technique.
- Study of poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles with varying PEG spacer lengths.
- Analysis of surface chemical functionality accessibility on individual nanoparticles.
Main Results:
- The length of the PEG spacer was shown to directly influence the accessibility of surface chemical functionalities on PLGA-PEG nanoparticles.
- DNA-PAINT SRM provided unprecedented detail on the nanoscale surface properties of the nanoparticles.
- Variations in PEG architecture lead to differential accessibility of surface groups, impacting overall NP functionality.
Conclusions:
- Super-resolution microscopy techniques like DNA-PAINT are essential tools for the detailed characterization of nanoparticle surface functionality.
- The rational design of functionalized nanoparticles can be significantly improved by understanding the role of PEG architecture and spacer length.
- Optimizing PEG spacer length is critical for controlling the accessibility of surface functionalities and enhancing nanoparticle performance in various applications.
