title: Surface functionality of nanoparticles determines cellular uptake mechanisms in mammalian cells.
abstract: Nanoparticles (NPs) are versatile scaffolds for numerous biomedical applications including drug delivery and bioimaging. The surface functionality of NPs essentially dictates intracellular NP uptake and controls their therapeutic action. Using several pharmacological inhibitors, it is demonstrated that the cellular uptake mechanisms of cationic gold NPs in both cancer (HeLa) and normal cells (MCF10A) strongly depend on the NP surface monolayer, and mostly involve caveolae and dynamin-dependent pathways as well as specific cell surface receptors (scavenger receptors). Moreover, these NPs show different uptake mechanisms in cancer and normal cells, providing an opportunity to develop NPs with improved selectivity for delivery applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Krishnendu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Sung Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Oscar R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Felix S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shlosman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 710 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA 01003.
authors.forename: Vincent M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Rotello
mesh_terms: D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles