Distinct Proteins in Protein Corona of Nanoparticles Represent a Promising Venue for Endogenous Targeting – Part I: In vitro Release and Intracellular Uptake Perspective

Aya Ahmed Sebak,1 Iman Emam Omar Gomaa,2 Aliaa Nabil ElMeshad,3 Mahmoud Hussien Farag,1 Ulrike Breitinger,4 Hans-Georg Breitinger,4 Mahmoud Hashem AbdelKader5,6 1Pharmaceutical Technology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo (GUC), New Cairo City, Egypt; 2Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; 4Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo (GUC), New Cairo City, Egypt; 5National Institute of Laser Enhanced Sciences (NILES), Cairo University (CU), Giza, Egypt; 6European University in Egypt (EUE), New Administrative Capital, Cairo, EgyptCorrespondence: Aya Ahmed SebakFaculty of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, German University in Cairo, Cairo, EgyptTel +20 1205727787Email aya.sebak@gmail.comIman Emam Omar GomaaBiochemistry Department Faculty of Pharmacy, October University for Modern Sciences and Arts (MSA), Giza, EgyptTel +20 1275146432Email gomaa.iman@gmail.comIntroduction: Protein corona (PC) deposition on nanoparticles (NPs) in biological systems contributes to a great extent to NPs’ fates; their targeting potential, the interaction with different biological systems and the subsequent functions. PC – when properly tuned – can serve as a potential avenue for optimization of NPs’ use in cancer therapy.Methods: Poly-lactic co-glycolic acid (PLGA)-based NPs exhibiting different physicochemical properties were fabricated and characterized. The PC makeup of these NPs were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by Western blot and Bradford assay, respectively. The effect of PC on the release of NPs’ cargos and the intracellular uptake into B16F10 melanoma cells has been studied.Results: The composition of NPs (polymeric PLGA NPs vs lipid-polymer hybrid NPs) and the conjugation of an active targeting ligand (cRGDyk peptide) represented the major determinants of the PC makeup of NPs. The in vitro release of the loaded cargos from the NPs depended on the PC and the presence of serum proteins in the release medium. Higher cumulative release has been recorded in the presence of proteins in the case of peptide conjugated NPs, cNPs, while the unconjugated formulations, uNPs, showed an opposite pattern. NPs intracellular uptake studies revealed important roles of distinct serum and cellular proteins on the extent of NPs’ accumulation in melanoma cells. For example, the abundance of vitronectin (VN) protein from serum has been positively related to the intracellular accumulation of the NPs.Conclusion: Careful engineering of nanocarriers can modulate the recruitment of some proteins suggesting a potential use for achieving endogenous targeting to overcome the current limitations of targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.Keywords: nanoparticles, active targeting, passive targeting, endogenous targeting, melanoma, protein corona, intracellular uptake