Dynamic Cellular Uptake of Mixed-Monolayer Protected Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanoparticles (NPs) are gaining increasing attention for potential application in medicine; consequently, studying their interaction with cells is of central importance. We found that both ligand arrangement and composition on gold nanoparticles play a crucial role in their cellular internalization. In our previous investigation, we showed that 66-34OT nanoparticles coated with stripe-like domains of hydrophobic (octanethiol, OT, 34%) and hydrophilic (11-mercaptoundecane sulfonate, MUS, 66%) ligands permeated through the cellular lipid bilayer via passive diffusion, in addition to endo-/pino-cytosis. Here, we show an analysis of NP internalization by DC2.4, 3T3, and HeLa cells at two temperatures and multiple time points. We study four NPs that differ in their surface structures and ligand compositions and report on their cellular internalization by intracellular fluorescence quantification. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we have found that all three cell types internalize the 66-34OT NPs more than particles coated only with MUS, or particles coated with a very similar coating but lacking any detectable ligand shell structure, or 'striped' particles but with a different composition (34-66OT) at multiple data points.

Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles as High Efficiency Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2 Contrast Agent

“…It is noteworthy that these NPs do not affect cell division or metabolism, while the growth rate is reportedly reduced by other magnetic nanoparticles agents. 5,18,19,54 More importantly, these results are confirmed by MRI. Indeed we were able to detect the NPs in daughter cells, in similarly prepared samples (Figure 5c).…”

“…The quantitative analysis of fluorescent nanoparticle uptake is performed with MetaMorph 7.7 (2011 Molecular Devices) as reported. 19 ■ ASSOCIATED CONTENT …”

“…17 Our primary motivation is to develop magnetic nanoparticles that can be used as nontoxic, cell-degradation resistant MRI contrast agents, e.g., for long-term follow-up studies of transplanted stem cells or for in vitro and in vivo studies to follow tumor growth of NP-loaded tumor cells. The magnetoresponsive Au/Fe NPs described in this work combine the capability of cell internalization shown by mixed-ligand gold nanoparticles 5,18,19 with magnetic features.…”

Influence of the glycocalyx and plasma membrane composition on amphiphilic gold nanoparticle association with erythrocytes

“…[38][39][40][41] We have also shown that they can carry oligonucleotide cargos into tumor cells under these conditions. 42 Notably, particle entry into cells was observed without any experimental evidence of membrane poration or disruption.…”

The role of surface charge in cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of medical nanoparticles

“…When the ligands were arranged as stripes, the particles were able to translocate easily across the membrane, while in the random arrangement endocytosis occurred. [147][148][149] Endocytosis serves to absorb molecules from the extracellular space by invagination of the plasma membrane and formation of intracellular vesicles. The first type of endocytosis discovered was clathrin-mediated endocytosis, but in the meantime several additional types of endocytosis have been identified.…”