New progress has been made in the study of the interaction between nanomaterials and cells

Recently, Qiu Jichuan and Liu Hong, professors of the State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials of Shandong University, and Hao Aijun, professors of Basic Medical College, have developed a universal strategy to improve the interaction between nanoparticles and cells. The research results are published in German Applied Chemistry.

Nanomaterials have important application prospects in biomedical fields such as drug delivery, tissue engineering, bioimaging, diagnosis and treatment of major diseases. After the nanoparticles enter the biological system, the interaction with the biological interface, especially the cell membrane, directly determines the ingestion efficiency of nanoparticles by the biological system.

In order to improve the interaction between nanoparticles and cells, the research team used the swelling-induced symmetry destruction strategy to prepare a series of asymmetric nanoparticles with hydrophobic bulges, which can significantly improve the interaction between nanoparticles and cell membranes, so that asymmetric nanoparticles can be quickly anchored within 1 hour. It is ingested by cells on the cell membrane within 24 hours.

The team found that the hydrophobic bulge on one side of the asymmetric nanomaterial will “guide” the cell membrane deformation and wrap the raised part, and then bring the whole nanoparticles into the cell to be swallowed by the cell. Adjusting the size of the hydrophobic bulge can accurately regulate the efficiency of asymmetric nanoparticle anchoring cell membranes and their cell uptake.

After calculation and experimental analysis, the team found that the change in the size of the hydrophobic bulge will affect the probability of collision contact with the cell membrane and the degree of cell membrane deformation when swallowed. Under the combined effect of these two aspects, the bulge determines the interaction between the entire nanoparticle and the cell. Through experiments such as lateral ventricles, hippocampus and subcutaneous injection, it has been proved that asymmetric nanoparticles containing raised can be efficiently anchored in brain tissue and skin tissue, showing excellent retention efficiency in vivo.

Researchers said that by building a hydrophobic convex strategy on spherical particles, the interaction between nanoparticles and cell membranes can be accurately controlled. This method is simple and universal, and can realize cell membrane anchoring and swallowing of large-size nanoparticles, which is expected to be used in the fields of drug delivery, tissue regeneration and disease treatment.