Interaction between pristine nC60 and bovine serum albumin by fluorimetry: assessment of inner filter effect corrections
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction Fluorescence spectrometry is widely used to investigate nanomaterial-protein interactions, a crucial component of nanomaterial safety evaluation. However, the inner filter effect (IFE) significantly distorts fluorescence data during the analysis of fullerene (nC60) -protein interactions. Systematic correction methods for this system are rarely reported. Methods In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) served as the protein model, four mathematical formulas (Lakowicz, Gauthier, Tucker, and Chen models) were comparatively evaluated for IFE correction in fluorescence analysis. The correction results were compared to propose an optimal correction method for the interaction between nC60 and BSA. Binding parameters were calculated from corrected data, and quenching mechanisms were analyzed using Stern-Volmer equations. Results At room temperature with low nC60 concentrations (<2.0 × 10−5 mol/L), Chen’s model demonstrated optimal IFE correction accuracy. Corrected data indicated static quenching between nC60 and BSA, with a binding constant of K = 2.95 × 109 L/mol and approximately two binding sites. Discussion This study offers methodological guidance for IFE correction and accurate fluorescence analysis in the investigation of interactions between nanomaterials and biomolecules. Thus, it provides a reliable analytical method for the bio-safety assessment of nanomaterials.
Authors: Yu Zhang, Ye Zheng, Yuanjie Li, Shufang Liu
Institution: Shandong University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W4407798039