Fluorescence techniques used to measure interactions between hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and epidermal growth factor receptors

The potential applications of nanomaterials in therapeutics are immense and to fully explore this potential, it is important to understand the interaction of nanoparticles with cellular components. To examine the interaction between nanoparticles and cell membrane receptors, this report describes the use of advanced fluorescence techniques to measure interactions between hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles and epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs), as a model system. FITC-labelled HA nanoparticles and monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP)-conjugated EGFRs expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) were generated and their interaction measured using acceptor photobleaching-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (AP-FRET) and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy-fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FLIM-FRET). Results confirmed that hydroxyapatite nanoparticles not only interacted with EGFR but also attenuated downstream EGFR signalling, possibly by hindering normal dimerization of EGFR. Furthermore, the extent of signal attenuation suggested correlation with specific surface area of the nanoparticles, whereby greater specific surface area resulted in greater downstream signal attenuation. This novel demonstration establishes fluorescence techniques as a viable method to study nanoparticle interactions with proteins such as cell surface receptors. The approach described herein can be extended to study interactions between any fluorescently labelled nanoparticle-biomolecule pair.