Biophysicochemical Interactions between Nanomaterials and Pulmonary Surfactants

由纳米技术环境健康与安全项目获得的美国国家科学基金奖，支持左一教授研究纳米材料与肺表面活性剂之间的相互作用机制。肺表面活性剂是一种类似清洁剂的磷脂-蛋白混合物，覆盖整个呼吸道内表面。它在降低表面张力和防御宿主方面起着重要作用。吸入的纳米材料必须首先与这种表面活性剂膜相互作用，然后才能接触肺细胞并转移到其他器官。因此，纳米材料与肺表面活性剂之间的相互作用代表了肺中最初的生物纳米相互作用。然而，其相互作用机制仍是未知的。本课题的研究目标是研究天然肺部表面活性剂与工程纳米材料之间的生物物理化学相互作用，从而表征吸入纳米材料对呼吸系统的潜在不良健康影响。这项工作对公众来说很重要，因为它将提供新的数据，补充目前从细胞培养和动物模型中获得的纳米毒理学知识，从而促进目前对纳米安全性的理解。智力优势：项目组将首次系统研究不同纳米材料（包括碳纳米管、石墨烯纳米片、金属氧化物纳米颗粒）与肺表面活性剂之间的生物物理和生化相互作用。这项研究将为表面活性剂磷脂/蛋白质与具有独特宽高比/形状的碳基纳米材料之间的相互作用潜力提供新的见解。此外，该项目团队将开发一种新的体外模型，模拟肺部生物纳米相互作用，用于研究空气中纳米材料对环境、健康和安全（EHS）的影响。更广泛的影响：纳米材料与肺部表面活性剂之间的相互作用机制对于基于纳米医学的肺部给药以及与空气污染和颗粒物相关的呼吸系统疾病的病理生理研究具有转化价值。鉴于夏威夷大学的独特地理位置，拟议的工作将促进夏威夷原住民、太平洋岛民和其他未被充分代表的群体的学生的参与。该项目将开发新的本科和研究生工程课程，包括跨学科的内容，并帮助加强研究和教育的基础设施。透过本地及国际合作，科学计划将推广这项研究，以提高公众对纳米技术及其潜在的环境安全影响的认识。

Abstract#1236596 Zuo, Yi This NSF award by the Environmental Health and Safety of Nanotechnology program supports work by Professor Yi Zuo to study the interaction mechanism between nanomaterials and pulmonary surfactant. Pulmonary surfactant is a detergent-like phospholipid-protein mixture that covers the entire internal surface of the respiratory tract. It plays an important role in surface tension reduction and host defense. Inhaled nanomaterials must first interact with this surfactant film before contacting lung cells and translocating to other organs. Therefore, interactions between nanomaterials and pulmonary surfactant represent the initial bio-nano interaction in the lungs. However, the interaction mechanism is still largely unknown. The research goal of this proposal is to study biophysicochemical interactions between natural pulmonary surfactants and engineered nanomaterials, thus characterizing the potential adverse health effect of inhaled nanomaterials on the respiratory system. This work is important to the general public because it will provide new data that complement the current nanotoxicological knowledge obtained from cell culture and animal-models, thus advancing current understanding of nanosafety.Intellectual Merit:For the first time, the project team will systematically study biophysical and biochemical interactions between different nanomaterials (including carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets, and metal oxide nanoparticles) and pulmonary surfactants. This research will provide a novel insight into the interaction potential between surfactant phospholipids/proteins and carbon-based nanomaterials with unique aspect ratios/shapes. In addition, the project team will develop a novel in vitro model that mimics bio-nano interactions in the lungs, for studying the environmental, health and safety (EHS) impacts of airborne nanomaterials.Broader Impacts: The interaction mechanism between nanomaterials and pulmonary surfactants has a translational value for nanomedicine-based pulmonary drug delivery and for pathophysiological study of respiratory diseases related to air pollution and particulate matters. Given the unique location of the University of Hawaii, the proposed work will promote participation of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and students from other underrepresented groups. The PI will develop new undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula with interdisciplinary components, and help enhance the infrastructure for research and education. With local and international collaborations, the PI will disseminate the research to increase public awareness of nanotechnology and its potential EHS impacts.