title: Zwitterionic surface coating of quantum dots reduces protein adsorption and cellular uptake.
abstract: We have studied the effect of the zwitterionic surface coating of quantum dots (QDs) on their interaction with a serum supplemented cell medium and their internalization by human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. Zwitterionic QDs showed negligible adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA) selected as a model serum protein, in contrast to similar but negatively charged QDs. The incorporation of zwitterionic QDs by HeLa cells was found to be lower than for negatively charged QDs and for positively charged QDs, for which the uptake yield was largest. Our results suggest that the suppression of protein adsorption, here accomplished by zwitterionic QD surfaces, offers a strategy that allows for reducing the cellular uptake of nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Sumaira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashraf
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, South Korea. sungjee@postech.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Joonhyuck
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany. uli@uiuc.edu.
authors.forename: Mathilde A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bichelberger
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kantner
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany. uli@uiuc.edu.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maffre
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de and Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
authors.forename: Alaa Hassan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Feliu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, South Korea. sungjee@postech.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Junhwa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dakyeon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany. uli@uiuc.edu and Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany and Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany and Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Gerd Ulrich
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5027-3192
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: Nienhaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Hyoja-Dong, Nam-Gu, Pohang, South Korea. sungjee@postech.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sungjee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Philipps Universität Marburg, Marburg, Germany. wolfgang.parak@physik.uni-marburg.de.
authors.forename: Wolfgang J
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1672-6650
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Parak
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D001692:Biological Transport; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human