Nanoparticle-Mediated Remote Control of Enzymatic Activity

Abstract

Nanomaterials have found numerous applications as tunable, remotely controlled platforms for drug delivery, hyperthermia cancer treatment, and various other biomedical applications. The basis for the interest lies in their unique properties achieved at the nanoscale that can be accessed via remote stimuli. These properties could then be exploited to simultaneously activate secondary systems that are not remotely actuatable. In this work, iron oxide nanoparticles are encapsulated in a bisacrylamide-crosslinked polyacrylamide hydrogel network along with a model dehalogenase enzyme, L-2-HADST. This thermophilic enzyme is activated at elevated temperatures and has been shown to have optimal activity at 70 °C. By exposing the Fe3O4 nanoparticles to a remote stimulus, an alternating magnetic field (AMF), enhanced system heating can be achieved, thus remotely activating the enzyme. The internal heating of the nanocomposite hydrogel network in the AMF results in a 2-fold increase in enzymatic activity as compared to the same hydrogel heated externally in a water bath, suggesting that the internal heating of the nanoparticles is more efficient than the diffusion limited heating of the water bath. This system may prove useful for remote actuation of biomedical and environmentally relevant enzymes and find applications in a variety of fields.

Formulation and characterization of inhalable magnetic nanocomposite microparticles (MnMs) for targeted pulmonary delivery via spray drying

“…In suspension, MNPs generate heat through frictional (Brownian) and magnetic (Néel) relaxation processes, and the heat generated from these particles can be used to trigger other therapies, increase transport of particles, and induce hyperthermia as a thermal treatment [21, 23–26]. …”

Semiconducting Polymer Nanoenzymes with Photothermic Activity for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

“…[2] Theu se of conditional protein splicing systems is another way to generate functional enzymes from inactive fragments in the presence of ligands. [4] In contrast to these approaches,light activation seems to be am ore ideal, noninvasive method to control enzyme activity because of its simpler operability,b etter controllability,a nd higher spatiotemporal resolution. [4] In contrast to these approaches,light activation seems to be am ore ideal, noninvasive method to control enzyme activity because of its simpler operability,b etter controllability,a nd higher spatiotemporal resolution.…”

Light-Triggered Biocatalysis Using Thermophilic Enzyme–Gold Nanoparticle Complexes

“…This extends previous studies involving confined heating of DNA with nanoparticles 18,19 and is in direct contrast to recent studies, including elegant ones employing the use of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic fields that activate biochemical pathways through bulk heating. 13,16,17 The goal here is to minimize such bulk heating so that we can provide proof of concept that could eventually lead to remote triggering of biochemical reactions under standard nonthermophilic conditions utilizing thermophilic enzyme nanoparticle complexes. Our particles consist of a Au nanoparticle core with a monolayer coating of thiol-conjugated heat-responsive enzyme.…”