Premium
The Protein Corona Leads to Deformation of Spherical Micelles
Author(s) -
Cao Cheng,
Zhang Lin,
Kent Ben,
Wong Sandy,
Garvey Christopher J.,
Stenzel Martina H.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202101129
Subject(s) - small angle x ray scattering , micelle , small angle neutron scattering , neutron scattering , nanomedicine , nanoparticle , scattering , polymer , protein adsorption , adsorption , chemical engineering , chemistry , deformation (meteorology) , biophysics , morphology (biology) , materials science , crystallography , nanotechnology , composite material , organic chemistry , optics , physics , engineering , aqueous solution , biology , genetics
The formation of a non‐specific protein corona around nanoparticles (NPs) has been identified as one of the culprits for failed nanomedicine. The amount and type of adsorbed protein from the blood plasma are known to determine the fate of NPs and the accessibility of targeting ligands. Herein, we show that the adsorbed protein may not only enlarge the NPs and change their surface properties but also, in the case of soft NPs such as polymer micelles, lead to deformation. Poly(1‐ O ‐methacryloyl ‐β‐D‐fructopyranose)‐ b ‐poly(methylmethacrylate) (P(1‐ O ‐MAFru)‐ b ‐PMMA) block co‐polymers were self‐assembled into NPs with a spherical core–shell morphology as determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Upon incubation with albumin, TEM, SANS, and small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) revealed the adsorption of albumin and deformation of the NPs with a spheroid geometry. Removal of the protein led to the reversal of the morphology back to the spherical core–shell structure. Structural studies and cell studies of uptake of the NPs imply that the observed deformation may influence blood circulation time and cell uptake.