title: In vivo integrity of polymer-coated gold nanoparticles.
abstract: Inorganic nanoparticles are frequently engineered with an organic surface coating to improve their physicochemical properties, and it is well known that their colloidal properties may change upon internalization by cells. While the stability of such nanoparticles is typically assayed in simple in vitro tests, their stability in a mammalian organism remains unknown. Here, we show that firmly grafted polymer shells around gold nanoparticles may degrade when injected into rats. We synthesized monodisperse radioactively labelled gold nanoparticles ((198)Au) and engineered an (111)In-labelled polymer shell around them. Upon intravenous injection into rats, quantitative biodistribution analyses performed independently for (198)Au and (111)In showed partial removal of the polymer shell in vivo. While (198)Au accumulates mostly in the liver, part of the (111)In shows a non-particulate biodistribution similar to intravenous injection of chelated (111)In. Further in vitro studies suggest that degradation of the polymer shell is caused by proteolytic enzymes in the liver. Our results show that even nanoparticles with high colloidal stability can change their physicochemical properties in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research for Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg/Munich 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Kreyling
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Abuelmagd M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abdelmonem
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Zulqurnain
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen 37075, Germany [2] Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen 37075, Germany.
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geiser
authors.affiliation: Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research for Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg/Munich 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haberl
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research for Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg/Munich 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirn
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany [2] Department of Inorganic Chemistry, UPV/EHU, Bilbao 48080, Spain; CIC-Energigune, Miñano 01510, Spain [3] CIC Biomagune, San Sebastian 20009, Spain.
authors.forename: Dorleta Jimenez
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: de Aberasturi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kantner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research for Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg/Munich 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Gülnaz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khadem-Saba
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Jose-Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Montenegro
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rejman
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, UPV/EHU, Bilbao 48080, Spain; CIC-Energigune, Miñano 01510, Spain.
authors.forename: Teofilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rojo
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, UPV/EHU, Bilbao 48080, Spain; CIC-Energigune, Miñano 01510, Spain.
authors.forename: Idoia Ruiz
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: de Larramendi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Göttingen 37075, Germany.
authors.forename: Roser
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ufartes
authors.affiliation: Institute of Lung Biology and Disease and Institute of Epidemiology 2, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research for Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg/Munich 85764, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wenk
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Physics, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg 35032, Germany [2] CIC Biomagune, San Sebastian 20009, Spain.
authors.forename: Wolfgang J
authors.identifier: 0000000316726650
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Parak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010316:Particle Size; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014781:Viscera / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011108:Polymers; D006046:Gold