장귀주 (울산대학교 산학협력단)

한상윤 (가천대학교)

장귀주 (울산대학교 산학협력단)

임고은 (가천대학교)

공태일 (가천대학교)

한상윤 (가천대학교)

The biological identity of liposomal nanocarriers changes after exposure to biological fluids through biomolecular corona formation. Although proteins have received the most attention, lipid components may also contribute to nanoparticle-cell interactions. Here, we examined how coronas derived from high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and serum affect the composition and cellular uptake of cationic liposomes. Liposomes were incubated with HDL, LDL, or serum to generate distinct coronas. Corona formation and composition were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis and LC-MS/MS-based lipidomic and proteomic profiling. Cellular internalization was assessed by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The molecular profiles of isolated hard coronas differed from those of the corresponding incubation media, demonstrating selective enrichment of lipid and protein species on the liposomal surface. Cellular uptake also varied with the corona source, indicating that corona composition altered liposome-cell interactions. In particular, HDL-derived coronas were associated with enhanced initial cellular uptake. These findings show that lipoprotein- and serum-derived coronas confer distinct biological identities on liposomal nanocarriers. The selective incorporation of corona components and resulting differences in uptake highlight the importance of considering both lipid and protein corona composition when evaluating liposomal drug delivery systems.

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