Terminal sialic acids in the nanoparticle corona modulate cellular uptake

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Biomaterials Science
• Glycobiology

Background:

• Nanoparticles (NPs) engineered for therapy interact with biological systems, forming a biomolecular corona of adsorbed biomolecules.
• The glycosylation (sugar coating) of this corona is increasingly recognized as a critical factor influencing NP behavior in vivo.
• The specific role of corona glycosylation, especially its interaction with cellular receptors, remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the glycan composition of the nanoparticle biomolecular corona affects NP-receptor interactions.
• To determine the impact of sialic acid content within the corona's glycans on NP stability and cellular engagement.
• To establish advanced parameters for predicting nanoparticle biological fate based on corona glycosylation.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic approaches were used to dissect the glycan composition of the biomolecular corona.
• Differential centrifugal sedimentation and quartz crystal microbalance were employed to analyze NP-corona interactions with isolated glycan receptors.
• Flow cytometry was utilized to confirm these interactions in relevant cell lines.

Main Results:

• Differences in monosaccharide sialic acid content within the corona significantly altered NP-corona interactions with specific glycan receptors.
• These changes in NP-corona-receptor interactions were validated in relevant cell lines using flow cytometry.
• The study demonstrates a direct link between corona glycosylation and NP interaction dynamics.

Conclusions:

• The glycosylation of the biomolecular corona plays a crucial role in nanoparticle-biological interactions.
• Sialic acid content is a key determinant of how nanoparticle coronas interact with cellular receptors.
• Understanding corona glycosylation provides advanced predictive parameters for nanoparticle behavior and therapeutic efficacy.