Open AccessShape dependent cytotoxicity of PLGA-PEG nanoparticles on human cells
Author(s) -
Bokai Zhang,
Ping Sai Lung,
Siqi Zhao,
Zhiqin Chu,
Wojciech Chrzanowski,
Quan Li
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-07588-9
Subject(s) - cytotoxicity , endocytosis , lysosome , internalization , biophysics , nanoparticle , apoptosis , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , plga , vesicle , cell culture , dna fragmentation , programmed cell death , cell membrane , chemistry , materials science , nanotechnology , membrane , biology , in vitro , biochemistry , genetics , enzyme
We investigated the influence of nanoparticles’ shape on the physiological responses of cells, when they were fed with spherical and needle-shaped PLGA-PEG nanoparticles (the volume of the nanoparticles had been chosen as the fixed parameter). We found that both types of NPs entered cells via endocytosis and upon internalization they stayed in membrane bounded vesicles. Needle-shaped, but not the spherical-shaped NPs were found to induce significant cytotoxicity in the cell lines tested. Our study evidenced that the cytotoxicity of needle-shaped NPs was induced through the lysosome disruption. Lysosome damage activated the signaling pathways for cell apoptosis, and eventually caused DNA fragmentation and cell death. The present work showed that physiological response of the cells can be very different when the shape of the fed nanoparticles changed from spherical to needle-like. The finding suggests that the toxicity of nanomaterials also depends on their shape.