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. 2022 Jun 2;12(6):831.
doi: 10.3390/life12060831.

Microalgae Peptide-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles as a Versatile Material for Biomedical Applications

Marielys Torres-Díaz  1 , Caren Abreu-Takemura  2 , Liz M Díaz-Vázquez  1
Affiliations

Microalgae Peptide-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles as a Versatile Material for Biomedical Applications

Marielys Torres-Díaz et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Microalgae peptides have many medical and industrial applications due to their functional properties. However, the rapid degradation of peptides not naturally present in biological samples represents a challenge. A strategy to increase microalgae peptide stability in biological samples is to use carriers to protect the active peptide and regulate its release. This study explores the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as carriers of the Chlorella microalgae peptide (VECYGPNRPQF). The potential of these peptide biomolecules as stabilizing agents to improve the colloidal stability of AuNPs in physiological environments is also discussed. Spectroscopic (UV-VIS, DLS) and Microscopic (TEM) analyses confirmed that the employed modification method produced spherical AuNPs by an average 15 nm diameter. Successful peptide capping of AuNPs was confirmed with TEM images and FTIR spectroscopy. The stability of the microalgae peptide increased when immobilized into the AuNPs surface, as confirmed by the observed thermal shifts in DSC and high zeta-potential values in the colloidal solution. By optimizing the synthesis of AuNPs and tracking the conferred chemical properties as AuNPs were modified with the peptide via various alternative methods, the synthesis of an effective peptide-based coating system for AuNPs and drug carriers was achieved. The microalgae peptide AuNPs showed lower ecotoxicity and better viability than the regular AuNPs.

Keywords: AuNPs-Colloidal Stability; Chlorella peptide coating; ecotoxicity of AuNPs; microalgae drug delivery systems.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Progress of the gold nanoparticles synthesis reaction. The yellow-colored solution corresponds to the Gold (III) ions in water. When the citrate solution is added, the mixture turns clear, and further color changes occur until the mixture turns an intense red color at a supersaturation stage.
Figure 2
Figure 2
UV-VIS absorption spectra of the citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (cit-AuNPs) and the peptide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (pep-AuNPs). The corresponding maximum absorption wavelength for the cit-AuNPs was 522 nm, and for the pep-AuNPs, it was 526 nm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Size distribution of the gold nanoparticles determined by DLS measurements of intensity.
Figure 4
Figure 4
FTIR spectra of the nanoparticles and the stabilizing agents confirm the gold nanoparticles’ surface modification. (a) citrate and cit-AuNPs and (b) peptide and pep-AuNPs.
Figure 5
Figure 5
TEM images and histograms of the gold nanoparticles. (a,b) TEM images of cit-AuNPs; (c) Size distribution of the cit-AuNPs determined with ImageJ. (d,e) TEM images of pep-AuNPs; (f) Size distribution of the pep-AuNPs determined with ImageJ.
Figure 6
Figure 6
DSC thermograms of (a) citrate and cit-AuNPs and (b) peptide and pep-AuNPs.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Agarose electrophoresis (1% gel) in TBE 1x running buffer. (a) cit-AuNPs, (b) washed cit-AuNPs, (c) pep-AuNPs, and (d) washed pep-AuNPs.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Scavenging effect of different concentrations of gold nanoparticles for the ABTS radical. A linear regression (blue dotted line)was applied, and the IC50 concentration was calculated. (a) cit-AuNPs (R2 = 0.9544; IC50 = 13.59 mg/mL); (b) pep-AuNPs (R2 = 0.9649; IC50 = 4.79 mg/mL).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Growth patterns and maximum specific bioluminescence of ES114 exposed to gold nanoparticles in SWTO and FMM media. (a) Growth patterns in SWTO when exposed to cit-AuNPs and pep-AuNPs. (b) Growth pattern in FMM when exposed to cit-AuNPs and pep-AuNPs. (c) Maximum of specific bioluminescence in SWTO when exposed to cit-AuNPs and pep-AuNPs (p-values < 0.001). (d) The maximum of specific bioluminescence in FMM when exposed to cit-AuNPs and pep-AuNPs (p-values < 0.001).
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