Fig 1.
Transmission electron microscopy of synthesized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (M-MSNs).
Mean diameter ± SD: 116.6 ± 2.1 nm.
Table 1.
Hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential measurements of M-MSNs, either pristine or in the presence of a preformed HS or FBS protein corona.
Measurements were performed in physiological pH. Values are mean ± standard deviation (n = 3).
Table 2.
Top 20 most abundant proteins in the fetal bovine serum corona.
M-MSN samples exposed to sera were separated magnetically, washed with 1X PBS, and analyzed by nano-LC mass spectrometry as indicated in the Methods section. The number of MS/MS spectra per protein was determined for each sample and the relative quantitative proteomic analysis was calculated according to the method of normalized spectral abundance factors (NSAF). The twenty most abundant proteins are listed below.
Table 3.
Top 20 most abundant proteins in the human serum corona.
M-MSN samples exposed to sera were separated magnetically, washed extensively with 1X PBS, and analyzed by nano-LC mass spectrometry as indicated in the Methods section. The number of MS/MS spectra per protein was determined for each sample and the relative quantitative proteomic analysis was calculated according to the method of normalized spectral abundance factors (NSAF). The twenty most abundant proteins are listed below.
Fig 2.
This diagram represents the number of specific proteins per preformed corona identified by nano-LC MS/MS. The two coronas present 62 homologous proteins.
Fig 3.
Classification of corona components.
Proteins identified in respective preformed coronas by nano-LC MS/MS were grouped according to their biological processes in the blood system (Uniprot DB). Values are expressed as percentages.
Fig 4.
Real-time cell index (CI) monitoring of HepG2 cells (n = 3) exposed to 25, 50, or 100 μg/mL pristine M-MSNs for 115 hours.
All curves represent the mean of three curves with recorded standard deviations at each time-point. The black arrow represents the starting point of exposure. Cell index was normalized to baseline (control cells) to ensure inter-dose comparison.
Fig 5.
Real-time cell index (CI) monitoring of HepG2 cells (n = 3) exposed to A) 50 μg/mL, B) 100 μg/mL M-MSNs, in a pristine state or covered with serum proteins, for 115 hours.
All curves represent the mean of three curves with recorded standard deviations at each time-point. The black arrow represents the starting point of exposure. Cell index was normalized to baseline (control cells).
Fig 6.
Strategy used to investigate the impact of the corona on toxicological outcomes using real-time cell impedance.
Fig 7.
M-MSNs with a protein corona preformed in fetal bovine serum induced the same effects as pristine M-MSNs in HepG2 cells, because the corona forms instantly around the pristine M-MSNs when they encounter the cell medium containing 10% FBS.
Using HS instead of FBS to preform coronas mitigated M-MSN (50 μg/mL) toxicity by 4-fold in HepG2 cells.