New findings about iron oxide nanoparticles and their different effects on murine primary brain cells

Abstract

The physicochemical properties of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs) enable their application in the diagnostics and therapy of central nervous system diseases. However, since crucial information regarding side effects of particle–cell interactions within the central nervous system is still lacking, we investigated the influence of novel very small iron oxide particles or the clinically approved ferucarbotran or ferumoxytol on the vitality and morphology of brain cells. We exposed primary cell cultures of microglia and hippocampal neurons, as well as neuron–glia cocultures to varying concentrations of SPIOs for 6 and/or 24 hours, respectively. Here, we show that SPIO accumulation by microglia and subsequent morphological alterations strongly depend on the respective nanoparticle type. Microglial viability was severely compromised by high SPIO concentrations, except in the case of ferumoxytol. While ferumoxytol did not cause immediate microglial death, it induced severe morphological alterations and increased degeneration of primary neurons. Additionally, primary neurons clearly degenerated after very small iron oxide particle and ferucarbotran exposure. In neuron–glia cocultures, SPIOs rather stimulated the outgrowth of neuronal processes in a concentration- and particle-dependent manner. We conclude that the influence of SPIOs on brain cells not only depends on the particle type but also on the physiological system they are applied to.

Mechanical stimulation of Schwann cells promote peripheral nerve regeneration via extracellular vesicle-mediated transfer of microRNA 23b-3p

“…In our study, limited by the diameter of SPIONs we used, the SPIONs can hardly be internalized by the MS-SCs-EVs or SCs-EVs. SPIONs have been reported to induce degeneration of neurons in a dose dependent manner, thus particular caution has to be exercised when administering SPIONs that target the neuronal cells 50 . Based on this consideration, we applied SPIONs to SCs and effect on neurons indirectly.…”

Cellular and Molecular Processes Are Differently Influenced in Primary Neural Cells by Slight Changes in the Physicochemical Properties of Multicore Magnetic Nanoparticles

“…27 From the biological point of view, the primary neural cell source, and therefore their specific functional phenotype and culture purity, are also known to largely influence the results obtained. 30 To minimize these source-related discrepancies, stem cells have been explored. In some of these studies, neural stem cells maintained their proliferation rate and neuronal differentiation capacity when exposed to low concentrations of SPIONs.…”

“…This toxicity could derive from the coating material itself, rather than the iron oxide core, as in the case of polydimethylamine . From the biological point of view, the primary neural cell source, and therefore their specific functional phenotype and culture purity, are also known to largely influence the results obtained . To minimize these source-related discrepancies, stem cells have been explored.…”