The Cellular Interactions of PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles: Effect of PEGylation on Cellular Uptake and Cytotoxicity |
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| Authors: | Stefaan J Soenen Bella B Manshian Abuelmagd M Abdelmonem José‐María Montenegro Sisareuth Tan Lieve Balcaen Frank Vanhaecke Alain R Brisson Wolfgang J Parak Stefaan C De Smedt Kevin Braeckmans |
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| Institution: | 1. Lab of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, , B‐9000 Gent, Belgium;2. Centre for Nano‐ and Biophotonics, Ghent University, , B‐9000 Gent, Belgium;3. Biomedical MRI unit/MoSAIC, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, , B‐3000 Leuven, Belgium;4. DNA Damage Group, College of Medicine (Institute of Life Science), Swansea University, , SA2 8PP Swansea, UK;5. Fachbereich Physik, Philipps University of Marburg, , D‐35037 Marburg, Germany;6. UMR‐CBMN CNRS‐Université Bordeaux‐1, , F‐33600 Pessac, France;7. Department of Analytical Chemistry, Ghent University, , B‐9000 Ghent, Belgium;8. CIC biomaGUNE, , 20009 San Sebastián, Spain;9. + 32 9 264 81 89+49 6421 28 24131 |
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| Abstract: | Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is frequently used to coat various medical nanoparticles (NPs). As PEG is known to minimize NP interactions with biological specimens, the question remains whether PEGylated NPs are intrinsically less toxic or whether this is caused by reduced NP uptake. In the present work, the effect of gold NP PEGylation on uptake by three cell types is compared and evaluated the effect on cell viability, oxidative stress, cell morphology, and functionality using a multiparametric methodology. The data reveal that PEGylation affects cellular NP uptake in a cell‐type‐dependent manner and influences toxicity by different mechanisms. At similar intracellular NP numbers, PEGylated NPs are found to yield higher levels of cell death, mostly by induction of oxidative stress. These findings reveal that PEGylation significantly reduces NP uptake, but that at similar functional (= cell‐associated) NP levels, non‐PEGylated NPs are better tolerated by the cells. |
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| Keywords: | nanotoxicology gold nanoparticles poly(ethylene glycol) cytotoxicity cell labeling |
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