CaF2 nanoparticles as surface carriers of GCAP1, a calcium sensor protein involved in retinal dystrophies

Nanoscale. 2017 Aug 17;9(32):11773-11784. doi: 10.1039/c7nr03288a.

Abstract

CaF2-based nanoparticles (NP) are promising biocompatible tools for nanomedicine applications. The structure of the NP crystal lattice allows for specific interactions with Ca2+-binding proteins through their EF-hand cation binding motifs. Here we investigated the interaction of 23 nm citrate-coated CaF2 NP with a calcium sensor protein GCAP1 that is normally expressed in photoreceptor cells and involved in the regulation of the early steps of vision. Protein-NP interactions were thoroughly investigated for the wild type (WT) GCAP1 as well as for a variant carrying the Asp 100 to Glu mutation (D100E), which prevents the binding of Ca2+ to the highest affinity site and is linked to cone dystrophy. Circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that protein structure and Ca2+-sensing capability are conserved for both variants upon interaction with the NP surface, although the interaction mode depends on the specific occupation of Ca2+-binding sites. NP binding stabilizes the structure of the bound GCAP1 and occurs with nanomolar affinity, as probed by isothermal titration calorimetry. Surface plasmon resonance revealed a fully reversible binding compatible with physiologically relevant kinetics of protein release whereas biochemical assays indicated a residual capability for NP-dissociated GCAP1 to regulate the target retinal guanylate cyclase. Our study constitutes a proof of concept that CaF2 NP could be optimized to serve as biologically compatible carriers of high amounts of functional GCAP1 in photoreceptors affected by retinal dystrophies.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Calcium Fluoride*
  • Drug Carriers*
  • Guanylate Cyclase-Activating Proteins / administration & dosage*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Retinal Dystrophies

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Guanylate Cyclase-Activating Proteins
  • Calcium Fluoride
  • Calcium