Boron nitride nanosheets elicit significant hemolytic activity via destruction of red blood cell membranes

Boron nitride (BN) nanosheets have emerged as promising nanomaterials in a wide range of biomedical applications. Despite extensive studies on these bio-nano interfacial systems, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we used hemolysis assays and morphology observations to demonstrate for the first time that BN nanosheets can cause damages to the red-blood-cell membranes, leading to significant hemolysis. Further molecular dynamics simulations revealed that BN nanosheets can penetrate into the cell membrane and also extract considerable amount of phospholipid molecules directly from the lipid bilayer. The potential of mean force calculations then showed that their penetration effect was thermodynamically favorable due to the strong attractive van der Waals interactions between BN nanosheets and phospholipids. Overall, these findings provided valuable insights into the interaction of BN nanosheets with cell membranes at the atomic level, which can help future de novo design of BN-based nanodevices with better biocompatibility.

Automated summary

The study found that boron nitride nanosheets can damage red blood cell membranes, leading to hemolysis. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the penetration effect of boron nitride nanosheets into cell membranes was thermodynamically favorable due to strong attractive van der Waals interactions with phospholipids. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights for future de novo design of BN-based nanodevices with better biocompatibility.