Hemocompatibility of cyclodextrin-coated magnetic nanoparticles under uremic conditions

The accumulation of uremic toxins, a hallmark of kidney failure in hemodialysis-dependent patients, highlights hemodialysis's limits to effectively removing a broad range of toxins. Adsorption-based strategies have emerged as a promising solution. However, a critical gap remains in understanding the hemocompatibility of these materials in the context of kidney failure. In this study we investigated the hemocompatibility and protein adsorption behavior of α-, β-, and γ-cyclodextrin-coated magnetic nanoparticles in modeled uremic plasma and blood. Cyclodextrin-coated nanoparticles exhibited greater protein adsorption compared to untreated plasma, while cyclodextrin-modified particles showed significantly reduced protein adsorption per unit surface area compared to bare nanoparticles. Immunoblotting revealed distinct protein adsorption profiles compared to untreated plasma, where an increased trend in surface adsorption was observed for most plasma proteins in uremic plasma, with substantial changes in the binding of complement proteins, fibrinogen, α₂ macroglobulin, fibronectin, protein S, and immunoglobulins. We did not observe any clear indications of hemo-incompatibility of the cyclodextrin-coated magnetic nanoparticles under uremic conditions in whole blood. Interestingly, we also found some evidence of improved platelet responsiveness and clot formation time with magnetic nanoparticle treatment, under uremic conditions. These findings underscore the potential of cyclodextrin-coated magnetic nanoparticles for safer, more efficient blood detoxification strategies in kidney failure.