Surface functionalization of fluorescent silica nanoparticles: a strategy for Zika virus inactivation

Abstract

This project aims the synthesis of fluorescent silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs@FLUO) with the surface functionalized with different chemical groups, in order to study the interaction and the inactivation of the Zika virus. Nanoparticles' surface modification allows selective binding between the synthetized systems and the virus, and it also minimizes non-specific interaction with other biological components (such as proteins) - known as the corona effect. Functionalized fluorescent nanoparticles will be characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In order to determine the size and pore organization, it will be used N2 adsorption / desorption technique. The efficiency of the surface functionalization will be analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and zeta potential. To enable the use of the nanoparticles in biological systems, preliminary tests to evaluate the cytotoxicity to mammalian retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE-1) cells will be performed. The study of anti-viral activity will be carried out by in vitro assays, using viral preparations available in the LVV-LNBio with VERO cells. In addition, the anti-corona effect action will be evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Bradford's test, DLS and zeta potential measurements. (AU)