Editorial pubs.acs.org/bc
Interfacing Inorganic Nanoparticles with Biology
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used to target glioblastomas. Bridging therapeutics and diagnostics, Murphy provides a Review describing nanoparticle platforms for imaging and treating breast cancer. We also have papers describing a wide range of imaging results that use the unique properties of the NP core to access new imaging modalities. Chen provides a TR on plasmonic assemblies, while Berlin employs plasmonic strategies for bacterial diagnostics. Hyeon has a TR on luminescence imaging using NPs, a powerful tool for avoiding autofluorescence. Kim provides a Review on an area where the optical properties of NPs are employed for image-guided therapy. These reviews are complemented by new results from the Meade and Stellacci laboratories on NPs for magnetic resonance imaging, and from Won on the use of nanocrystals for computed tomography (CT) applications. Finally, Mirkin provides a tour de force in bioconjugation, using gold nanoparticles to simultaneously detect proteins and nucleic acids. Tying together fundamental and applied aspects of NP in biology, we have a set of papers that look at how NPS work in complex matrices. Liz-Marzan provides a TR on the challenging question of NP validation in in vitro systems, a theme that resonates with new studies by Scrimin on NP uptake by cells. The protein corona shows up in this section in multiple scenarios, including sensing studies by Hamad-Schifferli, and in vivo work by Liang and Wang. Chan explores the challenging issue of passive clearance of NPs in tissue imaging, while Cormode critically examines the role of NP size and functionality for CT imaging. Finally, Takarada looks at the effects of different aggregation strategies on sensor response times. This special issue gives you and idea of where we are now in interfacing nanoparticles with biology. Like all youngsters, however, the best is yet to come. As we move more NP systems into the real world, we will also discover new ways to use them. These new strategies will extend and expand the synergy between synthetic and biological components, allowing us to access properties, functions, and applications that are currently unimaginable. I hope you enjoy this collection on your way to this future, and that you contribute your own vision to this dyamic field. Best wishes,
norganic nanoparticles (NPs) are among the most interesting challenges in the area of bioconjugation. Interfacing the cold hard surfaces of these nanomaterials with biomolecules and the broader biological world tests the creativity of chemists. This is a test well worth taking, since the physical and structural properties of nanoparticles impart unique and useful properties that make NPs unique tools for a wide range of biological applications. I have worked in the field of gold nanoparticles since its infancy, and have watched the broader field of bionanotechnology grow to its current stagesomewhere between adolescence and young adulthood. Like all teenagers, we still have much to learn in terms of how to make NPs, what the structures of these particles are, and how their structural and dynamic properties dictate their interactions with biosystems. While we are still in the learning phase in many aspects of nanoscience, just like young adults we still have to go out and earn our pay. The nanobiology community is certainly making significant advances down this path, with a rapidly expanding range of delivery and diagnostic systems entering the clinic, and through consumer products that use the inherent properties of nanomaterials to perform useful functions. In this special issue we highlight research focusing on the integration of metallic, oxide, and semiconductor NPs with biology. With contributions from leading laboratories in the field, we address both fundamental issues of bionanoconjugates and the applications of these systems. The issue is divided into three sections: fabrication and characterization of bioconjugates, applications of NPs, and challenges and opportunities in understanding how nanomaterials interact with living systems. We kick off the section on fabrication and characterization with a Topical Review (TR) by Yingling on the use of computational tools to understand NP monolayer structure, a topic that finds synergy with the TR by Levy on characterization of these monolayers. These fundamental aspects are followed by new strategies for particle functionalization, with a Review by Zhang on cell membrane-coated nanoparticles. We also have original research from the Weissleder, Pasquato, Dai, and Mattoussi laboratories on new NP coatings and functionality to impart unique and useful properties to NPs. The final example in the area of fabrication is an interesting twist by Caruso, where silica NPs are used sacrificially to pattern surfaces, demonstrating that even in their destruction NPs can be very useful! In addition to the covalent chemistry described above, NPs feature unique supramolecular properties in biological systems, as described by Banaszak-Holl for folate binding proteinmediated aggregation of NPs. The formation of protein coronas in serum is a serious issue for understanding NPs in vivo. Fundamental studies of corona formation by Puntes complement studies described below that focused on the role of corona formation on NP function. Successful applications of NPs are well represented in this issue. A TR by Kohane describes their use in photocontrolled drug release, while Zhang describes how magnetic NP can be © 2017 American Chemical Society
Vincent M. Rotello
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AUTHOR INFORMATION
ORCID
Vincent M. Rotello: 0000-0002-5184-5439 Special Issue: Interfacing Inorganic Nanoparticles with Biology Published: January 18, 2017 1
DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00727 Bioconjugate Chem. 2017, 28, 1−2
Bioconjugate Chemistry
Editorial
Notes
Views expressed in this editorial are those of the author and not necessarily the views of the ACS.
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DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00727 Bioconjugate Chem. 2017, 28, 1−2
