Nanoparticles are currently finding increasing use as drug delivery systems in the treatment of cancer and other disorders. When nanoparticles are introduced into body fluids, they adsorb proteins forming a coating called protein corona. The protein corona is vital since it controls biological responses of nanoparticles through interactions with cells and biological barriers. Due to the dynamic behaviour of protein-protein and protein-nanoparticle interactions, the protein corona evolves during circulation in the body. This results in difficulties to predict the biological behaviour and outcome of nanoparticles. In this work, it is hypothesised that a nanoparticle-protein corona (NP-PC) enriched in specific proteins could serve as a model to determine if the design and formation of a patient-specific nanodrug-protein corona could offer a novel approach to control nanodrug-protein corona evolution. Through usage of a model nanoparticle and model plasmas and by applying shotgun proteomics and SUrface proteomics, Safety, Targeting, and Uptake (SUSTU), NP-PC proteins were identified and quantified. The results indicate that desirable proteins are maintained in the protein corona surface when nanoparticles with a pre-made corona are introduced into model plasma. This implies that a designed NP-PC would be a strategy to control nanodrug-protein corona evolution, offering a route to improve nanodrug targeting and uptake by cells.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Includes vita. Also available online. Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2008. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 187 pages. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references.