title: Mechanistic study of the uptake of wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles by A549 cells.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent and mechanism of uptake of wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated PLGA nanoparticles by A549 cells. PLGA nanoparticles of 150 nm were prepared by a solvent diffusion method and covalently conjugated to FITC-WGA (fWGA) or FITC-bovine serum albumin (fBSA) by a two-step carbodiimide method. Uptake of fWGA-PLGA and fBSA-PLGA nanoparticles by confluent A549 cells was quantified by fluorometry. A549 cellular uptake of fWGA-PLGA nanoparticles at 2 h, 37 degrees C was 5.02-fold that of fBSA-PLGA nanoparticles at a loading concentration of 2.65 mg/mL. The difference in uptake between the two types of nanoparticles was increased to 7.84-fold at a higher loading concentration of 5.3 mg/mL, but was reduced to 2.07-fold by lowering the uptake temperature to 4 degrees C. Coincubation with 5 mg/mL of unlabeled WGA negated the differential uptake of fWGA-PLGA nanoparticles at 4 degrees C, suggesting that the nanoparticles interacted with a specific WGA-binding receptor on the cell membrane. Internalization of the fWGA-PLGA nanoparticles by the A549 cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Filipin (1 microg/mL), a known inhibitor of caveolae, reduced the 1-h uptake of the nanoparticles by 75%. Surface modification of PLGA nanoparticles with WGA significantly enhanced its endocytosis by A549 cells by a receptor-mediated, caveola-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, 18 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.forename: Lee-Yong
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism*; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D000077182:Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer; D011100:Polyglycolic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid