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Nanomaterial–protein interactions: the case of pristine and functionalized carbon nanotubes and porcine gastric mucin

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Abstract

Mucus represents a serious obstacle that prevents the penetration of drug carrier's transport across the mucus barrier. This study highlights the interaction between mucin glycoprotein, mucin from porcine stomach Type III (PGM) and different pristine and functionalized single-wall and multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs), under physiological conditions, in order to investigate the affinity of different CNTs to mucin. This aspect could be of the utmost importance for the use of CNTs for biomedical purposes. The interaction between CNTs and PGM was investigated by using different techniques like fluorescence steady-state spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), circular dichroism (CD), electrophoresis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We demonstrated that mucin has impressive capabilities for binding CNTs in physiological solutions. Moreover, we proved that the nanomaterial–protein interaction is influenced by the different natures of the tubes (SW and MW) and by their different functionalizations (pristine and oxidized CNTs).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank University of Torino (Ricerca Locale ex-60 %, Bando 2014). SV acknowledges financial support by NANOMED project (PRIN 2010–2011, 2010FPTBSH_003) from Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca. NB thanks MIUR for partial financial support of her research Grant. The authors would like to acknowledge Chiara Tassone (Erasmus Placement).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and NIS Interdepartmental Centre, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 7, 10125, Turin, Italy

    Nadia Barbero, Luca Bonandini & Guido Viscardi

  2. Structural Biology and Biocomputing Programme, NMR Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain

    Marco Marenchino, Ramón Campos-Olivas & Jasminka Boskovic

  3. Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Turin, Italy

    Simonetta Oliaro-Bosso

  4. Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences Department, University of Torino, via Quarello 15, 10135, Turin, Italy

    Sonja Visentin

Authors
  1. Nadia Barbero
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  2. Marco Marenchino
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  3. Ramón Campos-Olivas
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  4. Simonetta Oliaro-Bosso
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  5. Luca Bonandini
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  6. Jasminka Boskovic
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  7. Guido Viscardi
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  8. Sonja Visentin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sonja Visentin.

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Barbero, N., Marenchino, M., Campos-Olivas, R. et al. Nanomaterial–protein interactions: the case of pristine and functionalized carbon nanotubes and porcine gastric mucin. J Nanopart Res 18, 84 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3388-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3388-z

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