The Biomolecular Corona of Lipid Nanoparticles for Gene Therapy.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanistic literature and preclinical development; level 5 by clinical CEBM.
PubMed 32786370 · doi:10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00366
What was done
This narrative review examines the role of the biomolecular (protein) corona in governing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) stability, biodistribution, and cellular targeting for nucleic acid delivery. Using the RNA interference therapeutic patisiran (Onpattro) as a case study, the authors summarize mechanisms of in vivo corona formation, techniques to isolate and characterize LNP coronas, and strategies to engineer coronas for targeting tissues beyond the liver.
What was found
No quantitative findings or numerical data are reported in the abstract. Qualitatively, the review notes that the liver tropism of the Onpattro formulation is driven by the spontaneous adsorption of endogenous apolipoprotein E (ApoE) onto the LNP surface upon systemic entry, facilitating specific uptake by hepatocytes. The authors report that detailed characterization and intentional modulation of LNP coronas remain limited in the literature.
Why it matters
Elucidating how the biological environment forms protein coronas on lipid nanoparticles is critical for rationally designing delivery vectors that can target tissues beyond the liver.
Limits
As a narrative review, it presents conceptual and mechanistic summaries rather than systematic, pooled, or primary empirical data. No sample sizes or study counts are specified in the abstract, and translational insights rely heavily on preclinical models that may not fully reflect human physiological environments.
Cited by
- supports When injected into the body, lipid nanoparticles naturally tend to travel to the liver.