Exploiting the interaction between halloysite and charged PNAs for their controlled release.
Serena RielaAna Borrego-SánchezSilvia CauteruccioRaquel de Melo BarbosaMarina MassaroClaro Ignacio Sainz-DíazRita Sánchez-EspejoCésar Viseras-IborraEmanuela LicandroPublished in: Journal of materials chemistry. B (2023)
The design and development of nanomaterials that could be used in nanomedicine are of fundamental importance to obtain smart nanosystems for the treatment of several diseases. Halloysite, because of its interesting features, represents a suitable nanomaterial for the delivery of different biologically active species. Among them, peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) have attracted considerable attention in recent decades for their potential applications in both molecular antisense diagnosis and as therapeutic agents, although up to now, the actual clinical applications have been very limited. Herein we report a systematic study on the supramolecular interaction of three differently charged PNAs with halloysite. Understanding the interaction mode of charged molecules with the clay surfaces represents a key factor for the future design and development of halloysite based materials which could be used for the delivery and subsequent intracellular release of PNA molecules. Thus, three different PNA tetramers, chosen as models, were synthesized and loaded onto the clay. The obtained nanomaterials were characterized using spectroscopic studies and thermogravimetric analysis, and their morphologies were studied using high angle annular dark field transmission electron microscopy (HAADF/STEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The aqueous mobility of the three different nanomaterials was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ -potential measurements. The release of PNA tetramers from the nanomaterials was investigated at two different pH values, mimicking physiological conditions. Finally, to better understand the stability of the synthesized PNAs and their interactions with HNTs, molecular modelling calculations were also performed. The obtained results showed that PNA tetramers interact in different ways with HNT surfaces according to their charge which influences their kinetic release in media mimicking physiological conditions.
Keyphrases
- nucleic acid
- electron microscopy
- high resolution
- single molecule
- ionic liquid
- atomic force microscopy
- drug delivery
- cancer therapy
- working memory
- human health
- molecular dynamics
- biofilm formation
- molecular docking
- risk assessment
- molecular dynamics simulations
- density functional theory
- mass spectrometry
- escherichia coli
- magnetic resonance
- cystic fibrosis
- monte carlo
- water soluble
- wound healing
- candida albicans
- case control
- genetic diversity
- data analysis
- tandem mass spectrometry