Fluorescent proteins as efficient tools for evaluating the surface PEGylation of silica nanoparticles

Abstract

Surface PEGylation is essential for preventing non-specific binding of biomolecules when silica nanoparticles are utilized for in vivo applications. Methods for installing poly(ethylene glycol) on a silica surface have been widely explored but varies from study to study. Because there is a lack of a satisfactory method for evaluating the properties of silica surface after PEGylation, the prepared nanoparticles are not fully characterized before use. In some cases, even non-PEGylated silica nanoparticles were produced, which is unfortunately not recognized by the end-user. In this work, a fluorescent protein was employed, which acts as a sensitive material for evaluating the surface protein adsorption properties of silica nanoparticles. Eleven different methods were systematically investigated for their reaction efficiency towards surface PEGylation. Results showed that both reaction conditions (including pH, catalyst) and surface functional groups of parent silica nanoparticles play critical roles in producing fully PEGylated silica nanoparticles. Great care needs to be taken in choosing the proper coupling chemistry for surface PEGylation. The data and method shown here will guarantee high-quality PEGylated silica nanoparticles to be produced and guide their applications in biology, chemistry, industry and medicine.

Characterization of nanomedicines: A reflection on a field under construction needed for clinical translation success

“…Recently, Green Fluorescent Protein was used as a probe to measure PEG grafting efficacy on silica NPs. This was proofed to be efficient in elucidating a proper PEG grafting at a molecular level [171].…”

Enhanced Adsorption of Azoxystrobin from Water by As-Prepared Silica Nanoparticles

“…However, for the production of inorganic materials, a pure form of silica with few impurities and amorphous character is required [3]. Therefore, amorphous silica is used in a variety of manufacturing applications [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]; these include abrasives, refined materials (SiC, Si3N4), cement, ceramic pigments, glasses, refractory materials, microelectronics, mortars, and zeolites. Silica nanoparticles have stood out among the various types of manufactured nanoparticles [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29] because they can be used in many fields of research and industry.…”