Biopolymer coating for particle surface engineering and their biomedical applications

Abstract

Surface engineering of particles based on a polymeric coating is of great interest in materials design and applications. Due to the disadvantages of non-biodegradability and undesirable biocompatibility, the application of petroleum-based synthetic polymers coating in the biomedical field has been greatly limited. In addition, there is lack of a universal surface modification method to functionalize particles of different compositions, sizes, shapes, and structures. Thus, it is imperative to develop a versatile biopolymeric coating with good biocompatibility and tunable biodegradability for the preparation of functional particle materials regardless of their surface chemical and physical structures. Recently, the natural polysaccharide polymers (e.g. chitosan and cellulose), polyphenol-based biopolymers (e.g. polydopamine and tannic acid), and proteins (e.g. amyloid-like aggregates) have been utilized in surface modification of particles, and applications of these modified particles in the field of biomedicine have been also intensively exploited. In this review, the preparation of the above three coatings on particles surface are summarized, and the applications of these materials in drug loading/release, biomineralization, cell immobilization/protection, enzyme immobilization/protection, and antibacterial/antiviral are exemplified. Finally, the challenges and the future research directions on biopolymer coating for particles surface engineering are prospected.

Keywords: Amyloid-like protein aggregates; Bio-applications; Biopolymer; Particle; Surface engineering.

Graphical abstract

Fig. 1

Biopolymer coating for particle surface engineering and its biomedical application.

Fig. 2

(a) Schematic illustration of chitosan coating in polymeric nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles and metal/metal-oxide nanoparticles. (b) The two typical preparation methods of chitosan-coated nanoparticles. (c) Schematic representation of chitosan-coated drug nanoparticles and their pH-dependent drug release profile. (d) Schematic representation of the chitosan-coated nanostructured lipid drug carrier. Reproduced from refs 80 and 89 with permission from Elsevier.

Fig. 3

(a) Schematic illustration of preparation method of cellulose coating. (b) Diagrammatic representation of the preparation of formulations using cellulose nanofibers (CNF). Camptothecin (CPT), and cellulose nanofibers and camptothecin composite (CNF-CPT). (c) Schematic illustration of cellulose composite coating. Reproduced from ref 46 with permission from Elsevier. Reproduced from ref 106 with permission from Springer Nature. Reproduced from ref 107 with permission from Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fig. 4

(a-i) Schematic illustration of polydopamine encapsulation and surface functionalization of individual yeast cells. (a-ii) TEM images of polydopamine-coated yeast cells. (b) Schematic illustration of the synthesis of PDA-PCM@ZIF-8/DOX and controllable combination with thermo-chemotherapy. (c) Fe₃O₄@PDA nanoparticles prepared and internalized by MSCs: (c–i) Schematic illustration of the preparation of Fe₃O₄@PDA nanoparticles by thermal decomposition method; The TEM images of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (c-ii), Fe₃O₄@PDA nanoparticles (c-iii, iv), and Fe₃O₄@PDA internalization in MSCs (c-v); (c, vi) Iron concentration in cells determined by ICP-OES. Reproduced from ref 128 with permission from American Chemical Society. Reproduced from ref 129 with permission from Elsevier. Reproduced from ref 131 with permission from Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fig. 5

(a) Schematic representation of controlled formation and degradation of TA–Fe^III nanocoating on individual mammalian cells, mimicking sporulation and germination processes. (b) Schematic representation of the fabrication process of DOX-loaded MPN capsules and release mechanism of DOX from MPN capsules. (c) Assembly of TA and metal ions to form a MPN film on a particulate template, followed by the subsequent formation of a MPN capsule. (d) General procedure for the fabrication of PTX@TA−Fe^III complex nanoparticles. Reproduced from refs 133 and 142 with permission from Wiley-VCH. Reproduced from ref 134 with permission from American Chemical Society. Reproduced from ref 141 with permission from Royal Society of Chemistry.

Fig. 6

Programmable amyloid coatings for tunable fluorescent materials and enzymatic biotransformation systems. (a) Illustration of microparticles coated with CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag. (b) SEM images of SiO₂ microparticles coated with CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag. (c) Schematic showing fluorescent proteins conjugated on CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag nanofiber (top) and fluorescence microscopy images of the corresponding fluorescent protein-conjugated CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag-coated microparticles. (d) Schematic showing LDH_SpyCatcher and GOX_SnoopCatcher immobilized on CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag-coated microparticles (e) Illustration of a dual-enzyme reaction system enabled by LDH_SpyCatcher and GOX_SnoopCatcher co-conjugated microparticles. (f) L-tert-leucine in two different microparticle systems (LDH_SpyCatcher and GOX_SnoopCatcher co-conjugated together on CsgA_SpyTag/CsgA_SnoopTag coatings versus LDH_SpyCatcher-conjugated CsgA_SpyTag coatings along with GOX_SnoopCatcher-conjugated CsgA_SnoopTag coatings) during the 3 ​h reaction conversion. (g) Conversion ratio of L-tert-leucine in the CsgASpyTag/CsgASnoopTag coating system over five cycles of 3 ​h reactions. Reproduced from ref 69 with permission from AAAS.

Fig. 7

Schematic illustration of the one-step aqueous formation of a phase-transitioned lysozyme (PTL) coating on micro/nanoparticles and subsequent functionalization for a range of technical applications. Reproduced from ref 65 with permission from Wiley-VCH.

Fig. 8

(a) SEM images of PS micro/nanoparticles before (left) and after (right) coating with the PTL membrane. (b) SEM images of SiO₂ micro/nanoparticles before (left) and after (right) coating with the PTL membrane. (c) SEM images of bare yeast cells showing their deflated morphology due to destabilization during sample preparation and SEM characterization (left); SEM image of the PTL-coated yeast cells with improved mechanical stability during sample preparation and SEM characterization showing an intact morphology close to that of the native state (right). (d) Proliferative activity assay of yeast in different buffers. (e) Schematic illustration of PTL-coated yeast cells and their resistance to enzymatic digestion (left) and the corresponding contrasting survival ability of yeasts without and with the PTL coating in the presence of Zymolyase (right); SEM images inset in the curve show intact PTL-coated yeast and the lysis of bare yeast by Zymolyase. (f) Repeated measurements of the metabolic activity of an immobilized yeast layer by the PTL coating. Reproduced from ref 65 with permission from Wiley-VCH.

Fig. 9

(a) Schematic illustration of preparation of 2D free-standing silver film. (b) Cross-sectional image of the conductive 2D free-standing silver film showing the thickness of the film. (c) SEM image of the conductive 2D free-standing silver film. (d) HR-TEM image of the conductive 2D free-standing silver film showing the protein-binding layer. (e) The response current of out-of-plane sensors monitoring finger movements. (f) The basic “dash” and “dot” are transmitted by recording the continuous pressing time of the finger. (g) Transmission of Morse code (SNNU) by recording CCPT. Reproduced from ref 66 with permission from Wiley-VCH.