Evaluation of the potential hazard of man-made nanomaterials has been hampered by a limited ability to observe and measure nanoparticles in cells. In this study, different concentrations of TiO 2 nanoparticles were suspended in cell culture medium. The suspension was then sonicated and characterized by dynamic light scattering and microscopy. Cultured human-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells (ARPE-19) were incubated with TiO 2 nanoparticles at 0, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, and 30 lg/ml for 24 hours. Cellular reactions to nanoparticles were evaluated using flow cytometry and dark field microscopy. A FACSCalibur TM flow cytometer was used to measure changes in light scatter after nanoparticle incubation. Both the side scatter and forward scatter changed substantially in response to the TiO 2 . From 0.1 to 30 lg/ml TiO 2 , the side scatter increased sequentially while the forward scatter decreased, presumably due to substantial light reflection by the TiO 2 particles. Based on the parameters of morphology and the calcein-AM/propidium iodide viability assay, TiO 2 concentrations below 30 lg/ml TiO 2 caused minimal cytotoxicity. Microscopic analysis was done on the same cells using an E-800 Nikon microscope containing a xenon light source and special dark field objectives. At the lowest concentrations of TiO 2 (0.1-0.3 lg/ml), the flow cytometer could detect as few as 5-10 nanoparticles per cell due to intense light scattering by TiO 2 . Rings of concentrated nanoparticles were observed around the nuclei in the vicinity of the endoplasmic reticulum at higher concentrations. These data suggest that the uptake of nanoparticles within cells can be monitored with flow cytometry and confirmed by dark field microscopy. This approach may help fulfill a critical need for the scientific community to assess the relationship between nanoparticle dose and cellular toxicity Such experiments could potentially be performed more quickly and easily using the flow cytometer to measure both nanoparticle uptake and cellular health. Published

The cellular uptake of different sized silver nanoparticles (AgNP) (10, 50, and 75 nm) coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or citrate on a human derived retinal pigment epithelial cell line (ARPE-19) was detected by flow cytometry following 24-h incubation of the cells with AgNP. A dose dependent increase of side scatter and far red fluorescence was observed with both PVP and citrate-coated 50 nm or 75 nm silver particles. Using five different flow cytometers, a far red fluorescence signal in the 700-800 nm range increased as much as 100 times background as a ratio comparing the intensity measurements of treated sample and controls. The citrate-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNP) revealed slightly more side scatter and far red fluorescence than did the PVP coated silver nanoparticles. This increased far red fluorescence signal was observed with 50 and 75 nm particles, but not with 10 nm particles. Morphological evaluation by dark field microscopy showed silver particles (50 and 75 nm) clumped and concentrated around the nucleus. One possible hypothesis to explain the emission of far red fluorescence from cells incubated with silver nanoparticles is that the silver nanoparticles inside cells agglomerate into small nano clusters that form surface plasmon resonance which interacts with laser light to emit a strong far red fluorescence signal. The results demonstrate that two different parameters (side scatter and far red fluorescence) on standard flow cytometers can be used to detect and observe metallic nanoparticles inside cells. The strength of the far red fluorescence suggests that it may be particularly useful for applications that require high sensitivity.

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