Nutrient molecule corona: An update for nanomaterial-food component interactions.

Yi Cao

Toxicology 2022 Jun 30

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The adsorption of biological molecules to nanomaterials (NMs) will significantly impact NMs' behavior in complex microenvironments. Previously we proposed the need to consider the interactions between food components and NMs for the evaluation of oral toxicity of NMs. This review updated this concept as nutrient molecule corona, that the adsorption of nutrient molecules alters the uptake of nutrient molecules and/or NMs, as well as the signaling pathways to induce a combined toxicity due to the biologically active nature of nutrient molecules. Even with the presence of protein corona, nutrient molecules may still bind to NMs to change the identities of NMs in vivo. Furthermore, this review proposed the binding of excessive nutrient molecules to NMs to induce a combined toxicity under pathological conditions such as metabolic diseases. The structures of nutrient molecules and physicochemical properties of NMs determine nutrient molecule corona formation, and these aspects should be considered to limit the unwanted effects brought by nutrient molecule corona. In conclusion, similar to other biological molecule corona, the formation of nutrient molecule corona due to the presence of food components or excessive nutrient molecules in pathophysiological microenvironments will alter the behaviors of NMs. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.