Biocompatibility of gold nanoparticles and their endocytotic fate inside the cellular compartment: a microscopic overview

TitleBiocompatibility of gold nanoparticles and their endocytotic fate inside the cellular compartment: a microscopic overview
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2005
AuthorsShukla, R, Bansal, V, Chaudhary, M, Basu, A, Bhonde, RR, Sastry, M
JournalLangmuir
Volume21
Issue23
Pagination10644-10654
Date PublishedNOV
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN0743-7463
Abstract

Macrophages are one of the principal immune effector cells that play essential roles as secretory, phagocytic, and antigen-presenting cells in the immune system. In this study, we address the issue of cytotoxicity and immunogenic effects of gold nanoparticles on RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The cytotoxicity of gold nanoparticles has been correlated with a detailed study of their endocytotic uptake using various microscopy tools such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal-laser-scanning microscopy (CFLSM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our findings suggest that Au(0) nanoparticles are not cytotoxic, reduce the production of reactive oxygen and nitrite species, and do not elicit secretion of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL1-, making them suitable candidates for nanomedicine. AFM measurements suggest that gold nanoparticles are internalized inside the cell via a mechanism involving pinocytosis, while CFLSM and TEM studies indicate their internalization in lysosomal bodies arranged in perinuclear fashion. Our studies thus underline the noncytotoxic, nonimmunogenic, and biocompatible properties ofgold nanoparticles with the potential for application in nanoimmunology, nanomedicine, and nanobiotechnology.

DOI10.1021/la0513712
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)Foreign
Impact Factor (IF)3.993
Divison category: 
Biochemical Sciences
Physical and Materials Chemistry