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Interactions protéines - nanoparticules

Excessive production of reactive oxygen species in cells by direct interaction with particles and/or dissolved species is currently accepted as one of the main mechanisms of cellular toxicity of engineered nanoparticles. Therefore, studies related to the impact of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the structure and function of antioxidant enzymes at the molecular level are crucial for a comprehensive evaluation of their toxicity. By using a combination of spectroscopic, imaging and fractionation techniques, we explored the interactions between citrate-coated AgNPs (20 nm) and two key antioxidant enzymes: catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Our results revealed that that the conformation changes of two enzymes, and the dissolution of AgNPs depended on the protein structure and could result in different degrees of enzymatic activity modulation. This research provides a basis to understand how the functional properties of the key antioxidant enzymes may affect the stability of nanoparticles in a biological context and give insights into the role of these enzymes in the mechanism of NP-induced redox stress in vivo.

 

http://archive-ouverte.unige.ch/unige:134648

 

17 Apr 2020

News 2020