High-Curvature Features on Branched Nanoconstructs Circumvent Protein Corona Interference

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomaterials Science
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Protein corona formation on nanoparticles is crucial for their biological interactions.
• Nanoparticle surface properties, including shape and curvature, can influence protein adsorption.
• Understanding these interactions is key for designing effective nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of local nanoscale curvature on nanoparticle constructs on protein corona distribution.
• To evaluate how protein adsorption affects ligand functionality on nanoparticles with varying curvatures.
• To determine if nanoparticle curvature can be engineered to control protein interactions and maintain biological activity.

Main Methods:

• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to visualize protein corona distribution on DNA-gold nanostars (DNA-AuNS) and gold nanospheres (DNA-50NPs).
• Statistical analysis of protein layer thickness on regions with different curvatures (positive, neutral, negative) on DNA-AuNS.
• DNA hybridization assays using 5 nm gold nanosphere probes (5NPs) to assess ligand accessibility and functionality after protein adsorption.

Main Results:

• DNA-AuNS with positive-curvature tips (<5 nm radius) exhibited less dense and uniform protein coronas compared to DNA-50NPs.
• Protein layer thickness was significantly lower on the positive-curvature tips of DNA-AuNS than on neutral or negative curvature regions.
• DNA-AuNS with reduced protein coronas showed higher DNA hybridization efficiency, indicating preserved ligand functionality, especially at the tips.

Conclusions:

• Local nanoscale curvature is a critical determinant of protein corona distribution on nanoparticle constructs.
• Positively curved nanoparticle surfaces can mitigate protein adsorption, preserving underlying ligand accessibility.
• Engineering nanoparticle curvature offers a strategy to control protein-nanoparticle interactions and maintain functional ligand presentation for biomedical applications.