Engineered nanomaterial interactions with biological exudates – do we need to redesign standard testing approaches for nanomaterials?

Nanoparticles (NPs) have a high surface energy that they seek to lower by binding to available biomolecules from their surroundings such as components of product formulations, proteins or lipids in living systems, natural... [ view full abstract ]

Nanoparticles (NPs) have a high surface energy that they seek to lower by binding to available biomolecules from their surroundings such as components of product formulations, proteins or lipids in living systems, natural organic matter (NOM) components of water or soil or potentially exuded and secreted biomolecules in complex ecosystems.1 Formation of a protein corona around NPs is a ubiquitous phenomenon that occurs instantaneously upon contact with available macromolecules.  Most research to date has focussed on the interactions of NPs with blood proteins (human or animal sera) or lung surfactant proteins, to correlate corona composition with NP uptake and impacts on living systems.2  Environmental interactions research has focussed on NP-NOM interaction studies, primarily assessing the impact of the humic substances on particle stability/bioavailability.3 Much less work has investigated the potential for NPs to bind the exuded biomolecules central to much of the plant and microorganism world, where secretion of biomolecules can be a defensive response to repel insect attack, or an offensive habit to repel other incompatible or competitive plants.2

1. Lynch I, Cedervall T, Lundqvist M, Cabaleiro-Lago C, Linse S, Dawson KA. The nanoparticle-protein complex as a biological entity; a complex fluids and surface science challenge for the 21st century. Adv Colloid Interface Sci. 2007;134-135:167-74

2. Lynch, I., Dawson, K.A., Lead, J.R., Valsami-Jones, E. Macromolecular Coronas and Their Importance in Nanotoxicology and Nanoecotoxicology. Frontiers of Nanoscience, 2014, 7: 127-156.