Effects of magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles on biological and artificial lipid membranes

Abstract

Background The purpose of this work is to provide experimental evidence on the interactions of suspended nanoparticles with artificial or biological membranes and to assess the possibility of suspended nanoparticles interacting with the lipid component of biological membranes. Methods 1-Palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) lipid vesicles and human red blood cells were incubated in suspensions of magnetic bare cobalt ferrite (CoFe 2 O 4 ) or citric acid (CA)-adsorbed CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles dispersed in phosphate-buffered saline and glucose solution. The stability of POPC giant unilamellar vesicles after incubation in the tested nanoparticle suspensions was assessed by phase-contrast light microscopy and analyzed with computer-aided imaging. Structural changes in the POPC multilamellar vesicles were assessed by small angle X-ray scattering, and the shape transformation of red blood cells after incubation in tested suspensions of nanoparticles was observed using scanning electron microscopy and sedimentation, agglutination, and hemolysis assays. Results Artificial lipid membranes were disturbed more by CA-adsorbed CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticle suspensions than by bare CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticle suspensions. CA-adsorbed CoFe 2 O 4 -CA nanoparticles caused more significant shape transformation in red blood cells than bare CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. Conclusion Consistent with their smaller sized agglomerates, CA-adsorbed CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles demonstrate more pronounced effects on artificial and biological membranes. Larger agglomerates of nanoparticles were confirmed to be reactive against lipid membranes and thus not acceptable for use with red blood cells. This finding is significant with respect to the efficient and safe application of nanoparticles as medicinal agents.

An in vivo evaluation of acute toxicity of cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles in larval-embryo Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…Larger agglomerates of Fe 2 O 3 are more toxic to the lipid membranes because of higher affinity for membranes and higher cytotoxicity (Drašler et al, 2014;Mahmoudi et al, 2012). In our study, rate of aggregation also increase with time and concentration, hence the toxicity.…”

“…Drašler et al, 2014 reported that citric acid coated CoFe 2 O 4 NPs are more injurious to biological membranes compared to bare ones. Amine coating is considered safe for biological application as animals have the ability to metabolize amine or amine derivatives into less toxic chemicals and can easily eliminate such toxic chemicals from their bodies.…”

“…CoFe 2 O 4 NPs also proved lethal to artificial and biological membranes. These findings are substantial with regard to environmental health and safety issues concerned with CoFe 2 O 4 NPs application in medicine (Drašler et al, 2014). These NPs also interfere with lipid metabolism and embryogenesis (Guglielmo et al, 2010;Marmorato et al, 2011).…”

The intrinsic antimicrobial activity of citric acid-coated manganese ferrite nanoparticles is enhanced after conjugation with the antifungal peptide Cm-p5

“…Indeed, the interaction of citric acid-adsorbed CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles with artificial lipid membranes (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) was demonstrated. 41 This result is relevant in this context since phosphatidylcholine is the most abundant phospholipid in yeast membrane. The mechanism of action for most of the cationic AMPs (and also extendable to our manganese ferrite nanoparticles) depends on the interaction with the microbial membrane to promote membrane destabilization, and these agents can function in vivo but are not toxic to host cells.…”

Effect of carbon black nanomaterial on biological membranes revealed by shape of human erythrocytes, platelets and phospholipid vesicles

“…These model systems and their interactions with the added substances have previously been used in the study of the effects of various compounds [17][18][19][20][21] including nanoparticles [11,[22][23][24][25][26] on cells and their membranes and were found to contribute to better understanding of the relevant mechanisms which are common in ex vivo and in vivo exposures.…”