title: Shape and surface effects on the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles: Gold nanospheres versus gold nanostars.
abstract: Gold nanoparticles are materials with unique optical properties that have made them very attractive for numerous biomedical applications. With the increasing discovery of techniques to synthesize novel nanoparticles such as star-shaped gold nanoparticles for biomedical applications, the safety and performance of these new nanomaterials must be systematically assessed before use. In this study, gold nanostars (AuNSTs) with multibranched surface structures were synthesized, and their influence on the cytotoxicity of human skin fibroblasts and rat fat pad endothelial cells (RFPECs) were assessed and compared with that of gold nanospheres (AuNSPs) with unbranched surfaces. Results showed that the AuNSPs with diameters of approximately 61.46 nm showed greater toxicity with fibroblast cells and RFPECs compared with the synthesized AuNSTs with diameters of approximately 33.69 nm. The AuNSPs were lethal at concentrations of 40 μg/mL for both cell lines, whereas the AuNSTs were less toxic at higher concentrations (400 μg/mL). The calculated IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) values of the AuNSPs exposed to fibroblast cells were greater at 1 and 4 days of culture (26.4 and 27.7 μg/mL, respectively) compared with the RFPECs (13.6 and 13.8 μg/mL, respectively), indicating that the AuNSPs have a greater toxicity to endothelial cells. It was proposed that possible factors that could be promoting the reduced toxicity effects of the AuNSTs to fibroblast cells and RFPECs, compared with the AuNSPs may be size, surface chemistry, and shape of the gold nanoparticles. The reduced cell toxicity observed with the AuNSTs suggests that AuNSTs may be a promising material for use in biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Pelagie Marlene
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Favi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University Research Headquarters, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.
authors.forename: Liuda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johana Sepúlveda Arango
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, University Research Headquarters, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.
authors.forename: Sandra Patricia
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ospina
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Advanced Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine - ABRM, Bioengineering Programme, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan Jose
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Pavon
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts.|Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Thomas Jay
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Webster
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D048430:Cell Shape; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D006046:Gold
keywords: branched gold nanoparticles; cytotoxicity; endothelial cells; fibroblast cells; gold nanoparticle; gold nanosphere; gold nanostar