Investigations on the Structural Damage in Human Erythrocytes Exposed to Silver, Gold, and Platinum Nanoparticles

Abstract

Human erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs), which constitute 99% of blood cells, perform an important function of oxygen transport and can be exposed to nanoparticles (NPs) entering into the human body during therapeutical applications involving such NPs. Hence, the haemocompatibility of the Ag, Au, and Pt NPs on human RBCs is investigated. The parameters monitored include haemolysis, haemagglutination, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, membrane topography, and lipid peroxidation. The findings suggest that platinum and gold NPs are haemocompatible compared to Ag NPs. Erythrocytes exhibit significant lysis, haemagglutination, membrane damage, detrimental morphological variation, and cytoskeletal distortions following exposure to Ag NPs at a concentration of 100 µg mL−1. Exposure of Ag+ to RBCs shows no lysis or deterioration, implying that the observed toxicity is solely due to NPs. The haemolyzed erythrocyte fraction has the ability to induce DNA damage in nucleated cells. Additionally, multiple pits and depressions are observed on RBC membrane following exposure to Ag NPs (50 µg mL−1 onwards). Hence, it is apparent that Ag NPs exhibit toxicity on RBCs and on other cells that are exposed to NP‐mediated haemolyzed fractions.

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

“…50,67 Our observation of changed erythrocyte shape is partly consistent with the findings of Han et al, 35 ie, that the surface charge on NPs is the dominant factor influencing their hemocompatibility, but the findings of our study suggest that the sizes of NPs and their agglomerates also play an important role. In addition, Asharani et al 34 reported that the low degree of surface deposition of NPs on the membrane of RBCs can be accompanied by significant alterations in membrane topography. In this connection, we observed NP agglomerates on the surface of RBCs (Figures S8 and S9, Tables S7 and S8).…”

“…32,33 It is known that adsorption of NPs onto the surface of RBCs can change cell morphology and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, agglutination of RBCs, and hemolysis. 1,18,27,[34][35][36][37][38][39] An interesting question is whether mechanisms revealed by experimental studies of artificial membranes or computer simulations of interactions between NPs and artificial lipid membranes can also explain the interactions of NPs with biological membranes.…”

SERS in Cells: from Concepts to Practical Applications

“…Depending on the particle concentration and incubation time, the distribution and uptake rate of silver nanoparticles into the cells vary. The 2D maps in Figures 13.5a-c show a high quantity of 107 Ag in the perinuclear region of the cells, which is in contrast to the 3 h-exposure where the particles are homogenously distributed in the cytoplasm. Only low signal intensity was found in the nucleus region since nanoparticles above 20 nm could not enter through the nuclear membrane.…”

“…Owing to the high spatial resolution of LA-ICP-MS, silver nanoparticles are visualized with respect to the cellular ultrastructure of fibroblast cells under different incubation conditions. In Figure 13.6 the overlay of the color encoded 107 Ag + local intensity maps with bright field micrographs is shown for three nanoparticle concentrations and two incubation times. Depending on the particle concentration and incubation time, the distribution and uptake rate of silver nanoparticles into the cells vary.…”

“…These effects are more pronounced for smaller particles since the surface area of the particles and the uptake efficiency are strongly increased. In red blood cells, addition of silver nanoparticles, different from gold or platinum nanoparticles, results in hemolysis, that is, destruction of the erythrocyte membrane and leakage of the hemoglobin from the cells [107].…”