Digestive enzyme corona formed in simulated gastrointestinal tract and its impact on EGCG release from banana resistant starch nanoparticles

The interaction of nanocarriers with gastrointestinal enzymes upon oral administration significantly impacts their performance as delivery systems. This work investigated the interaction between epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) loaded into banana resistant starch nanoparticles (RSNPs) and digestive enzymes and its implications for EGCG release. The formation of a protein corona on EGCG-RSNPs in simulated gastrointestinal fluids was confirmed. The formation of this protein corona led to structural alterations in the pepsin and trypsin. Changes in enzyme conformation upon interaction with EGCG-RSNPs were elucidated using UV–Vis absorption and emission fluorescence spectroscopy. The activity of the enzymes remained largely unaffected despite these conformational changes. Additionally, the presence of the protein corona led to a slower, reduced release rate of EGCG. The results of this work will contribute to the growing knowledge of nanocarrier design for the delivery of bioactive compounds, paving the way for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies and functional foods with more excellent health benefits.