Investigating the role of shape on the biological impact of gold nanoparticles in vitro. (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tian, Furong; Clift, Martin JD; Casey, Alan; del Pino, Pablo; Pelaz, Beatriz; Conde, João; Byrne, Hugh J; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Estrada, Giovani; de la Fuente, Jesús M; Stoeger, Tobias
• Is Part Of: Nanomedicine. Volume 10:Number 17(2015)
• Page Start: 2643
• Page End: 2657
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: biocompatibility -- caspases -- Cathepsin-B -- CD95 (APO-1/Fas) -- cell death -- gold nanoparticles -- lung epithelial cells -- nanoparticle shape -- nanotoxicology -- reactive oxygen species; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Medical technology -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Therapeutic use -- Periodicals; 610.28
• DOI: 10.2217/nnm.15.103
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1743-5889

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the influence of gold nanoparticle geometry on the biochemical response of Calu-3 epithelial cells.Materials & methods: Spherical, triangular and hexagonal gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used. The GNP-cell interaction was assessed via atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biochemical impact of GNPs was determined over 72 h at (0.0001–1 mg/ml).Results: At 1 mg/ml, hexagonal GNPs reduced Calu-3 viability below 60%, showed increased reactive oxygen species production and higher expression of proapoptotic markers. A cell mass burden of 1:2:12 as well as number of GNPs per cell (2:1:3) was observed for spherical:triangular:hexagonal GNPs.Conclusion: These findings do not suggest a direct shape-toxicity effect. However, do highlight the contribution of shape towards the GNP-cell interaction which impacts upon their intracellular number, mass and volume dose.