title: The unexpected effect of PEGylated gold nanoparticles on the primary function of erythrocytes.
abstract: Polyethylene glycol-functionalized gold nanoparticles (PEGylated AuNPs) have been widely used as nanocarriers for the delivery of various drugs. However, little attention has been paid to whether the PEGylated AuNPs could affect the primary function of human erythrocytes, which is the main cellular component in the blood. In the current study, we show that both the deformability and oxygen-delivering ability of erythrocytes are decreased when treated with PEGyalted AuNPs of various sizes, which can be attributed to the interaction between PEGylated AuNPs and erythrocyte membranes. It is observed that the PEGylated AuNPs could also induce the aggregation of band-3 and the ATP decrease of erythrocytes. In addition, the PEGylated AuNPs can accelerate the loss of CD47 on erythrocyte membranes, possibly enhancing the senescent process of erythrocytes and the following clearance by SIRPα-expressing leukocytes in bloodstream. The results suggested that PEGylated AuNPs have the potential to affect the primary function of human erythrocytes, which should be considered when using them as drug carriers.
authors: Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 610052 Chengdu, P. R. China. jxliu8122@vip.sina.com.
authors: Zeng
authors: Z
authors: He
authors: Jiaxin
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Libo
authors: L
authors: Du
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D051928:CD47 Antigen / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051928:CD47 Antigen; D004337:Drug Carriers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D010100:Oxygen