The Impact of Nanoparticle Protein Corona on Cytotoxicity, Immunotoxicity and Target Drug Delivery

Abstract

In a perfect sequence of events, nanoparticles (NPs) are injected into the bloodstream where they circulate until they reach the target tissue. The ligand on the NP surface recognizes its specific receptor expressed on the target tissue and the drug is released in a controlled manner. However, once injected in a physiological environment, NPs interact with biological components and are surrounded by a protein corona (PC). This can trigger an immune response and affect NP toxicity and targeting capabilities. In this review, we provide a survey of recent findings on the NP–PC interactions and discuss how the PC can be used to modulate both cytotoxicity and the immune response as well as to improve the efficacy of targeted delivery of nanocarriers.

Keywords::

• immune response
• nano–bio interface
• nanomedicine
• nanoparticles
• protein corona
• targeting
• toxicity

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Associazione Bianca Garavaglia, Via C. Cattaneo, 8, 21052 Busto Arsizio Varese, Italy. The authors thank Jean Ann Gilder (Scientific Communication spa, Naples, Italy) and Kelly A Hartman for editing the text and Federico Urzi for graphical assistance. The authors are grateful to the reviewers for their comments and observations that helped to improve this manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by grants RF-2010–2318372 and RF-2010–2305526 from Italian Ministry of Health, and by grants 1R21CA173579–01A1 from NIH/NCI, 5U54CA143837 PSOC Pilot project from NIH/NCI, W81XWH-12–10414 BCRP Innovator Expansion from Department of Defence and The Regenerative Medicine Program Cullen Trust for Health Care to E Tasciotti and by POR Campania FSE 2007–2013 Project DIAINTECH, Italy (to F Salvatore). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants RF-2010–2318372 and RF-2010–2305526 from Italian Ministry of Health, and by grants 1R21CA173579–01A1 from NIH/NCI, 5U54CA143837 PSOC Pilot project from NIH/NCI, W81XWH-12–10414 BCRP Innovator Expansion from Department of Defence and The Regenerative Medicine Program Cullen Trust for Health Care to E Tasciotti and by POR Campania FSE 2007–2013 Project DIAINTECH, Italy (to F Salvatore). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.