Graphene has raised high expectations for its potential applications not only in the field of electronics, composite materials, energy generation and storage, but also in biological fields, due to its distinctive properties. However, our knowledge on the factors that influence its interaction with living systems is still very incomplete.<br/>We recognize that besides size and shape, it is the biomolecular recognition motifs conferred by the protein corona layer which lead to most early stage biological impacts, governed for example by receptor interactions, likely to determine organ-level interactions (such as, for instance, liver clearance). Therefore, the study of biological impact of nanomaterials will require surface presentations that are representative of real exposure conditions in blood.<br/>In this work we exfoliate graphene nanoflakes directly in the presence of the biological milieu of interest, without affecting the graphene properties or compromising the protein functionality. Starting from this material we could isolate and analize the graphene-corona complexes; while some of the proteins identified are common to many other nanomaterials, some typical ones are absent (apo B100), and some unusually abundant (for example apo A-I). For apo A-I, relevant recognition motifs at the surface of graphene were mapped by using different immunoprobes able to recognize domains proxy for the High Density Lipoprotein complex receptor binding domains.<br/>Given the functionality and availability of such domains we investigated more in details the interactions between graphene nanoflakes and specific overexpressed cell receptors able to engage with the key motifs identified on the graphene surface. The evidences accumulated showed that these key motifs mediate early biological interactions. This certainly suggests that graphene could have distinct early biological interactions both at cell and organ level and will have to investigate this in more detail in order to promote a safe transition of graphene for biological applications.

Biological identity and receptors recognition of graphene nanoflakes dispersions

256th National Meeting (2018)

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