Toxicity of gold-nanoparticles: synergistic effects of shape and surface functionalization on micromotility of epithelial cells.
Nanoparticle exposure is monitored by a combination of two label-free and non-invasive biosensor devices which detect cellular shape and viscoelasticity (quartz crystal microbalance), cell motility and the dynamics of epithelial cell-cell contacts (electric cell-substrate impedance sensing). With these tools we have studied the impact of nanoparticle shape on cellular physiology. Gold (Au) nanoparticles coated with CTAB were synthesized and studied in two distinct shapes: Spheres with a diameter of (43 ± 4) nm and rods with a size of (38 ± 7) nm × (17 ± 3) nm. Dose-response experiments were accompanied by conventional cytotoxicity tests as well as fluorescence and dark-field microscopy to visualize the intracellular particle distribution. We found that spherical gold nanoparticles with identical surface functionalization are generally more toxic and more efficiently ingested than rod-shaped particles. We largely attribute the higher toxicity of CTAB-coated spheres as compared to rod-shaped particles to a higher release of toxic CTAB upon intracellular aggregation.
Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstrasse 6, Göttingen, Germany.
Marco
M
Tarantola
Anna
A
Pietuch
David
D
Schneider
Jan
J
Rother
Eva
E
Sunnick
Christina
C
Rosman
Sebastien
S
Pierrat
Carsten
C
Sönnichsen
Joachim
J
Wegener
Andreas
A
Janshoff
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D006046:Gold; D000077286:Cetrimonium