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Inhaled nanoparticles traveling through the airways are able to reach therespiratory zone of the lungs. In such event, the incoming particles firstenter in contact with the liquid lining the alveolar epithelium, the pulmonarysurfactant. The pulmonary surfactant is composed of lipids and proteins thatare assembled into large vesicular structures. The question of the nature ofthe biophysicochemical interaction with the pulmonary surfactant is central tounderstand how the nanoparticles can cross the air-blood barrier. Here weexplore the phase behavior of sub-100 nm particles and surfactant substitutesin controlled conditions. Three types of surfactant mimetics, including theexogenous substitute Curosurf, a drug administred to infants with respiratorydistress syndrome are tested together with aluminum oxide (Al2O3), silicondioxide (SiO2) and polymer (latex) nanoparticles. The main result here is theobservation of the spontaneous nanoparticle-vesicle aggregation induced byCoulombic attraction. The role of the surface charges is clearly established.We also evaluate the supported lipid bilayer formation recently predicted andfind that in the cases studied these structures do not occur. Pertaining to theaggregate internal structure, fluorescence microscopy ascertains that thevesicles and particles are intermixed at the nano- to microscale. Withparticles acting as stickers between vesicles, it is anticipated that thepresence of inhaled nanomaterials in the alveolar spaces could significantlymodify the interfacial and bulk properties of the pulmonary surfactant andinterfere with the lung physiology.

The role of surface charge in the interaction of nanoparticles with model pulmonary surfactants