Alexandre Mantion

Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Primary Mixed Neural Cell Cultures: Uptake, Oxidative Stress and Acute Calcium Responses

In the body, nanoparticles can be systemically distributed and then may affect secondary target organs, such as the central nervous system (CNS). Putative adverse effects on the CNS are rarely investigated to date. Here, we used a mixed primary cell model consisting mainly of neurons and astrocytes and a minor proportion of oligodendrocytes to analyze the effects of well-characterized 20 and 40 nm silver nanoparticles (SNP). Similar gold nanoparticles served as control and proved inert for all endpoints tested. SNP induced a strong size-dependent cytotoxicity. Additionally, in the low concentration range (up to 10 μg/ml of SNP), the further differentiated cultures were more sensitive to SNP treatment. For detailed studies, we used low/medium dose concentrations (up to 20 μg/ml) and found strong oxidative stress responses. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected along with the formation of protein carbonyls and the induction of heme oxygenase-1. We observed an acute calcium response, which clearly preceded oxidative stress responses. ROS formation was reduced by antioxidants, whereas the calcium response could not be alleviated by antioxidants. Finally, we looked into the responses of neurons and astrocytes separately. Astrocytes were much more vulnerable to SNP treatment compared with neurons. Consistently, SNP were mainly taken up by astrocytes and not by neurons. Immunofluorescence studies of mixed cell cultures indicated stronger effects on astrocyte morphology. Altogether, we can demonstrate strong effects of SNP associated with calcium dysregulation and ROS formation in primary neural cells, which were detectable already at moderate dosages.

Metal-Peptide Frameworks (MPFs) : Bioinspired Metal Organic Frameworks

Chiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a growing interest for their potential use in energy technologies, asymmetric catalysis, chiral separation, and on a more basic level, the creation of new topologies in inorganic materials. The current paper is the first report on a peptide-based MOF, a metal peptide framework (MPF), constructed from an oligovaline peptide family developed earlier by our group (Mantion, A.; et al. Macromol. Biosci. 2007, 7, 208). We have used a simple oligopeptide, Z-(L-Val)2-L-Glu(OH)-OH, to grow porous copper and calcium MPFs. The MPFs form thanks to the self-assembling properties of the peptide and specific metal-peptide and metal-ammonia interactions. They are stable up to ca. 250 degrees C and have some internal porosity, which makes them a promising prototype for the further development of MPFs.

Characterization of high-resolution diffractive X-ray optics by ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging

We have employed ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging to completely characterize the focal spot wavefield and wavefront aberrations of a high-resolution diffractive X-ray lens. The ptychographic data from a strongly scattering object was acquired using the radiation cone emanating from a coherently illuminated Fresnel zone plate at a photon energy of 6.2 keV. Reconstructed images of the object were retrieved with a spatial resolution of 8 nm by combining the difference-map phase retrieval algorithm with a non-linear optimization refinement. By numerically propagating the reconstructed illumination function, we have obtained the X-ray wavefield profile of the 23 nm round focus of the Fresnel zone plate (outermost zone width, Δr = 20 nm) as well as the X-ray wavefront at the exit pupil of the lens. The measurements of the wavefront aberrations were repeatable to within a root mean square error of 0.006 waves, and we demonstrate that they can be related to manufacturing aspects of the diffractive optical element and to errors on the incident X-ray wavefront introduced by the upstream beamline optics.

Peptide-Coated Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Surface Chemistry, and pH-Triggered, Reversible Assembly into Particle Assemblies

Simple tripeptides are scaffolds for the synthesis and further assembly of peptide/silver nanoparticle composites. Herein, we further explore peptide-controlled silver nanoparticle assembly processes. Silver nanoparticles with a pH-responsive peptide coating have been synthesized by using a one-step precipitation/coating route. The nature of the peptide/silver interaction and the effect of the peptide on the formation of the silver particles have been studied via UV/Vis, X-ray photoelectron, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopies as well as through electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering and powder X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement. The particles reversibly form aggregates of different sizes in aqueous solution. The state of aggregation can be controlled by the solution pH value. At low pH values, individual particles are present. At neutral pH values, small clusters form and at high pH values, large precipitates are observed.

Application of Laser Postionization Secondary Neutral Mass Spectrometry/Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry in Nanotoxicology: Visualization of Nanosilver in Human Macrophages and Cellular Responses

Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are the subject of worldwide commercialization because of their antimicrobial effects. Yet only little data on their mode of action exist. Further, only few techniques allow for visualization and quantification of unlabeled nanoparticles inside cells. To study SNP of different sizes and coatings within human macrophages, we introduce a novel laser postionization secondary neutral mass spectrometry (Laser-SNMS) approach and prove this method superior to the widely applied confocal Raman and transmission electron microscopy. With time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) we further demonstrate characteristic fingerprints in the lipid pattern of the cellular membrane indicative of oxidative stress and membrane fluidity changes. Increases of protein carbonyl and heme oxygenase-1 levels in treated cells confirm the presence of oxidative stress biochemically. Intriguingly, affected phagocytosis reveals as highly sensitive end point of SNP-mediated adversity in macrophages. The cellular responses monitored are hierarchically linked, but follow individual kinetics and are partially reversible.

Toxicity of silver nanoparticles in human macrophages: uptake, intracellular distribution and cellular responses

Silver nanoparticles (SNP) are among the most commercialized nanoparticles worldwide. They can be found in many diverse products, mostly because of their antibacterial properties. Despite its widespread use only little data on possible adverse health effects exist. It is difficult to compare biological data from different studies due to the great variety in sizes, coatings or shapes of the particles. Here, we applied a novel synthesis approach to obtain SNP, which are covalently stabilized by a small peptide. This enables a tight control of both size and shape. We applied these SNP in two different sizes of 20 or 40 nm (Ag20Pep and Ag40Pep) and analyzed responses of THP-1-derived human macrophages. Similar gold nanoparticles with the same coating (Au20Pep) were used for comparison and found to be non-toxic. We assessed the cytotoxicity of particles and confirmed their cellular uptake via transmission electron microscopy and confocal Raman microscopy. Importantly a majority of the SNP could be detected as individual particles spread throughout the cells. Furthermore we studied several types of oxidative stress related responses such as induction of heme oxygenase I or formation of protein carbonyls. In summary, our data demonstrate that even low doses of SNP exerted adverse effects in human macrophages.

Silicification of Peptide-Coated Silver Nanoparticles-A Biomimetic Soft Chemistry Approach toward Chiral Hybrid Core-Shell Materials

Silica and silver nanoparticles are relevant materials for new applications in optics, medicine, and analytical chemistry. We have previously reported the synthesis of pH responsive, peptide-templated, chiral silver nanoparticles. The current report shows that peptide-stabilized nanoparticles can easily be coated with a silica shell by exploiting the ability of the peptide coating to hydrolyze silica precursors such as TEOS or TMOS. The resulting silica layer protects the nanoparticles from chemical etching, allows their inclusion in other materials, and renders them biocompatible. Using electron and atomic force microscopy, we show that the silica shell thickness and the particle aggregation can be controlled simply by the reaction time. Small-angle X ray scattering confirms the Ag/peptide@silica core-shell structure. UV-vis and circular dichroism spectroscopy prove the conservation of the silver nanoparticle chirality upon silicification. Biological tests show that the biocompatibility in simple bacterial systems is significantly improved once a silica layer is deposited on the silver particles.

Glycopolymer vesicles with an asymmetric membrane

Direct dissolution of glycosylated polybutadiene-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers can lead to the spontaneous formation of vesicles or membranes, which on the outside are coated with glucose and on the inside with poly(ethylene oxide).

Uniform Metal (Hydr)Oxide Particles from Water/Ionic Liquid Precursor (ILP) Mixtures

We have recently shown that the hydrated ionic liquid tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) is an efficient ionic liquid precursor (ILP) for the fabrication of ZnO/carbohydrate materials (D. Mumalo-Djokic, W. B. Stern, A. Taubert, Cryst. Growth Des. 2008, 8, 330). The current paper shows that ZnO is just one example out of the large group of technologically important metal (hydr)oxides that can be made using TBAH. Simply by using different metal acetates as precursors in TBAH, it is possible to make a wide variety of metal (hydr)oxides with well-defined size, morphology, and chemical composition. It is also possible to dope metal oxide particles or to synthesize mixed metal oxide particles, and therefore to control properties like magnetism.

Protein decorated membranes by specific molecular interactions

Here we characterize new metal-functionalized amphiphilic diblock copolymers, developed for both surface and solution molecular recognition applications. Polybutadiene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymers functionalized with nitrilotriacetic acid and tris(nitrilotriacetic acid) were complexed with nickel(II) to obtain coordination sites for oligohistidine residues of model proteins. Mixtures of functionalized polymers with the respective non-functionalized block copolymers self-assemble in aqueous solution into vesicular structures with a controlled density of the metal end-groups on their surface. In solution, binding of His6-tagged green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP) to the vesicle surface was quantified by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Small-angle X-ray scattering indicates an increase of the membrane thickness by 2–3 nm upon protein binding. Block copolymer monolayers at the air–water interface and on solid support served as a model system to characterize the protein-decorated membranes by Brewster angle microscopy and AFM. High resolution AFM of solid-supported, hydrated monolayers indicates that the proteins form densely packed and partially ordered arrays with the cylindrically shaped EGFP molecules lying flat on the surface of the films.