Understanding the elusive protein corona of thermoresponsive nanogels
Miceli, Enrico and Kuropka, Benno and Rosenauer, Christine and Osorio Blanco, Ernesto R and Theune, Loryn E and Kar, Mrityunjoy and Weise, Christoph and Morsbach, Svenja and Freund, Christian and Calderón, Marcelo – 2018
Aim: We analyzed the protein corona of thermoresponsive, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)- or poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide)-based nanogels. Materials & methods: Traces of protein corona detected after incubation in human serum were characterized by proteomics and dynamic light scattering in undiluted serum. Results: Apolipoprotein B-100 and albumin were the main components of the protein coronae. For dendritic polyglycerol-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanogels at 37�C, an increase in adsorbed immunoglobulin light chains was detected, followed by partially reversible nanogel aggregation. All nanogels in their hydrophilic state are colloidally stable in serum and bear a dysopsonin-rich protein corona. Conclusion: We observed strong changes in NG stability upon slight alterations in the composition of the protein coronae according to nanogel solvation state. Nanogels in their hydrophilic state possess safe protein coronae.