Physical Property Control on the Cellular Uptake Pathway and Spatial Distribution of Nanoparticles in Cells

Abstract

Nanoparticles have been developed in broad biomedical research in terms of effective cellular interactions to treat and visualize diseased cells. Considering the charge and polar functional groups of proteins that are embedded in cellular membranes, charged nanoparticles have been strategically developed to enhance electrostatic cellular interactions. In this study, we show that cellular uptake efficiency, pathway, and spatial distribution of gold nanoparticles in a cell are significantly modulated based on the surface condition of gold nanoparticles and human cancer cells that were tuned by controlling the pH of the medium and by introducing an electron beam. Cellular uptake efficiency is increased when electrostatic attraction is induced between the cells and the gold nanoparticles. Cell surface modification changes the cellular uptake pathways of the gold nanoparticles and concentrates the gold nanoparticles at the membrane region. Surface modification of the gold nanoparticles also contributes to deep penetration and homogeneous spatial distributions in a cell.

Collective ordering of microscale matters in natural analogy

“…There is a specific concentration from which cluster formation becomes prominent for each cell type and properly introduced e-beam commonly retards the cluster formation for both cell types. Properly introduced e-beam induces physical modification of the cells by providing excess electrons to the cells thus inducing electrostatic interaction among the cells 25 26 27 . By e-beam exposure, the continuum limit of the cells moves toward a higher density for both cell types, indicating an increased repulsion among the cells 27 .…”

“…Properly introduced e-beam induces physical modification of the cells by providing excess electrons to the cells thus inducing electrostatic interaction among the cells 25 26 27 . By e-beam exposure, the continuum limit of the cells moves toward a higher density for both cell types, indicating an increased repulsion among the cells 27 . It is suggested therefore that the cellular distance distributions are fairly dominated by the physical interactions.…”

“…Therefore, rather individualistic A549 cells assemble one-by-one, while sticky HeLa form a group all at once. Properly applied e-beam induces the characteristic interaction between the cells due to modified electrostatic interactions 25 26 27 . In our results, A549 is observed to be more sensitive to the physical property change induced by e-beam introduction thus to be more repulsive each other electrostatically.…”

Effects of Size, Shape, Surface Charge and Functionalization on Cytotoxicity of Gold Nanoparticles

“…94,95 However, the Au NPs are able to cross membrane boundaries and enter speci¯c organelles E®ects of Size, Shape, Surface Charge and Functionalization on Cytotoxicity including the nucleus while the Au NPs have been functionalized with speci¯c ligands such as glutathione (GSH) and cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). [96][97][98][99][100][101] For instance, Krpetić and coauthors have demonstrated that CPP modi¯ed Au NPs exhibit an unusual cellular distribution pattern, by which Au NPs are initially found in the cytosol, the nucleus, and the mitochondria and later within densely¯lled vesicles, from which they can be released again. 100 They also found that the CPP modi¯ed Au NPs appear to negotiate intracellular membrane barriers quite freely, including the possibility of direct membrane transfer.…”

Technobiology Paradigm in Nanomedicine: Treating Cancer with MagnetoElectric Nanoparticles

“…Cellular uptake of nanoparticles is a thermodynamic phenomenon that occurs from nanoparticle adsorption on the cell membrane followed by membrane wrapping and invagination in order to minimize the chemical binding energy (114)(115)(116)(117)(118)(119). The distinct organization of MENs around glioblastoma and brain endothelial cells was further verified by fluorescence images of these cells incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate loaded MENs.…”