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Effect of surface charge on the cellular uptake of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles

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Abstract

We report on the nanoparticle uptake into MCF10A neoT and PC-3 cells using flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and transmission electron microscopy. The aim was to evaluate the influence of the nanoparticles’ surface charge on the uptake efficiency. The surface of the superparamagnetic, silica-coated, maghemite nanoparticles was modified using amino functionalization for the positive surface charge (CNPs), and carboxyl functionalization for the negative surface charge (ANPs). The CNPs and ANPs exhibited no significant cytotoxicity in concentrations up to 500 μg/cm3 in 24 h. The CNPs, bound to a plasma membrane, were intensely phagocytosed, while the ANPs entered cells through fluid-phase endocytosis in a lower internalization degree. The ANPs and CNPs were shown to be co-localized with a specific lysosomal marker, thus confirming their presence in lysosomes. We showed that tailoring the surface charge of the nanoparticles has a great impact on their internalization.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia within the National Research Program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department for Materials Synthesis, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Slavko Kralj & Darko Makovec

  2. International Postgraduate School, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Slavko Kralj & Darko Makovec

  3. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Matija Rojnik & Janko Kos

  4. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Rok Romih

  5. Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Marko Jagodič

  6. EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Marko Jagodič

  7. Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Janko Kos

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  1. Slavko Kralj
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Correspondence to Slavko Kralj.

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Kralj, S., Rojnik, M., Romih, R. et al. Effect of surface charge on the cellular uptake of fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles. J Nanopart Res 14, 1151 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-1151-7

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