Kinetics of silica nanoparticles in the human placenta

Abstract

The potential medical applications of nanoparticles warrant their investigation in terms of biodistribution and safety during pregnancy. The transport of silica nanoparticles (NPs) across the placenta was investigated using two models of maternal-fetal transfer in human placenta, namely, the BeWo b30 choriocarcinoma cell line and the ex vivo perfused human placenta. Nanotoxicity in BeWo cells was examined by the MTT assay and demonstrated decreased cell viability at concentrations greater than 100 μg/mL. In the placental perfusion experiments, antipyrine crossed the placenta rapidly, with a fetal/maternal ratio of 0.97 ± 0.10 after 2 hours. In contrast, the percentage of silica NPs reaching the fetal perfusate after 6 hours was limited to 4.2 ± 4.9% and 4.6 ± 2.4% for 25-nm and 50-nm NPs, respectively. The transport of silica NPs across the BeWo cells was also limited, with an apparent permeability of only 1.54 × 10−6 ± 1.56 × 10−6 cm/sec. Using confocal microscopy, there was visual confirmation of particle accumulation in both BeWo cells and in perfused placental tissue. Despite the low transfer of silica NPs to the fetal compartment, questions regarding biocompatibility could limit the application of unmodified silica NPs in biomedical imaging or therapy.

Exploring the interactions of nanoparticles with multiple models of the maternal--fetal interface

“…Otherwise, the desired confirmation of ''similarity'' could never be determined. Such comparisons are already underway, including our recent investigation of the transplacental transfer of silica nanoparticles using both experimental models (Poulsen et al, 2015).…”

Studying nanoparticle interaction with human placenta: Festina lente!

“…Consequently, studies employing the sophisticated term placenta perfusion model (e.g. Poulsen et al, 2015), but even more studies using only a single monolayer of choriocarcinoma cells like BeWo on a crude collagen matrix (e.g. Correia Carreira et al, 2015 or Ali et al, 2013), do not explain much about nano biokinetics in early human gestation (Juch et al, 2013).…”

“…Another major concern when comparing the in-vitro BeWo model to a perfused placental cotyledon (Poulsen et al, 2015) is the potential sedimentation of NPs. For NPs with higher density than the culture medium (e.g.…”

“…Correia Carreira et al (2015) and Poulsen et al (2015) considered a BeWo cell monolayer-based model as a suitable invitro approach for the testing of nanoparticle (NP) transport and toxicity at the ''human placental barrier''. However, the placental barrier is known as a structural and physiological phenomenon significantly changing during pregnancy.…”

NanoTEST in a Nutshell

“…The transport of silica NPs across the placenta model of maternal-fetal transfer was also investigated by Poulsen et al (2015) using the ex vivo perfused human placenta model as well as BeWo b30 cells with slightly different results. In the placental perfusion experiments and BeWo b30 model, silica NP uptake and transport were limited -though with confocal microscopy, there was visual confirmation of particle accumulation in both systems.…”