Alke Petri-Fink

Assessing the in vitro and in vivo toxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

Nanotechnology has become a key word of public interest, since people realized the social and economic power of nanotechnology development. Nanotechnology has already become part of our daily life, and it will have an as yet unknown technological impact because it concerns all aspects of human life from novel building materials to electronics, cosmetics, pharmaceutics, and medicine.1 In recent years, engineered nanoparticles started to become the most important components in nanotechnology. The InternationalOrganization for Standardization (ISO) has provided specific definitions in their recent document entitled “Nanotechnologies—Terminology and definitions for nanoobjects—Nanoparticle, nanofibre and nanoplate”. As the basis of this review, the following definitions for a nanoparticle (NP) and a nano-object will be used.

Bioavailability of silver nanoparticles and ions: from a chemical and biochemical perspective

Owing to their antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (NPs) are the most commonly used engineered nanomaterial for use in a wide array of consumer and medical applications. Many discussions are currently ongoing as to whether or not exposure of silver NPs to the ecosystem (i.e. plants and animals) may be conceived as harmful or not. Metallic silver, if released into the environment, can undergo chemical and biochemical conversion which strongly influence its availability towards any biological system. During this process, in the presence of moisture, silver can be oxidized resulting in the release of silver ions. To date, it is still debatable as to whether any biological impact of nanosized silver is relative to either its size, or to its ionic constitution. The aim of this review therefore is to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview—for biologists, chemists, toxicologists as well as physicists—regarding the production of silver NPs, its (as well as in their ionic form) chemical and biochemical behaviours towards/within a multitude of relative and realistic biological environments and also how such interactions may be correlated across a plethora of different biological organisms.

Interaction of Functionalized Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles with Brain Structures

Super Paramagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are under clinical evaluation to enhance detection of neurodegenerative diseases. A major improvement would be to link therapeutic drugs to the SPIONs to achieve targeted drug delivery, either at the cell surface or intracellularly, together with active disease detection, without inducing cell reaction. Our objectives were to define the characteristics of SPIONS able to achieve cell-specific interaction with brain-derived structures. Our system consisted in an iron oxide core (9-10 nm diameter) coated either with dextran (Sinerem and Endorem) or various functionalized polyvinyl alcohols (PVAs) (PVA-SPIONs). We investigated the cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and interaction of these various nanoparticles with brain-derived endothelial cells, microglial cells, and differentiating three-dimensional aggregates. None of the nanoparticles coated with dextran or the various PVAs was cytotoxic or induced the production of the inflammatory mediator NO used as a reporter for cell activation. AminoPVA-SPIONs were taken up by isolated brain-derived endothelial and microglial cells at a much higher level than the other SPIONs, and no inflammatory activation of these cells was observed. AminoPVA-SPIONs did not invade brain cells aggregates lower than the first cell layer and did not induce inflammatory reaction in the aggregates. Fluorescent aminoPVA-SPIONs derivatized with a fluorescent reporter molecule and confocal microscopy demonstrated intracellular uptake by microglial cells. Fluorescent aminoPVA-SPIONs were well tolerated by mice. Therefore, functionalized aminoPVA-SPIONs represent biocompatible potential vector systems for drug delivery to the brain that may be combined with MRI detection of active lesions in neurodegenerative diseases.

Different endocytotic uptake mechanisms for nanoparticles in epithelial cells and macrophages.

Summary Precise knowledge regarding cellular uptake of nanoparticles is of great importance for future biomedical applications. Four different endocytotic uptake mechanisms, that is, phagocytosis, macropinocytosis, clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis, were investigated using a mouse macrophage (J774A.1) and a human alveolar epithelial type II cell line (A549). In order to deduce the involved pathway in nanoparticle uptake, selected inhibitors specific for one of the endocytotic pathways were optimized regarding concentration and incubation time in combination with fluorescently tagged marker proteins. Qualitative immunolocalization showed that J774A.1 cells highly expressed the lipid raft-related protein flotillin-1 and clathrin heavy chain, however, no caveolin-1. A549 cells expressed clathrin heavy chain and caveolin-1, but no flotillin-1 uptake-related proteins. Our data revealed an impeded uptake of 40 nm polystyrene nanoparticles by J774A.1 macrophages when actin polymerization and clathrin-coated pit formation was blocked. From this result, it is suggested that macropinocytosis and phagocytosis, as well as clathrin-mediated endocytosis, play a crucial role. The uptake of 40 nm nanoparticles in alveolar epithelial A549 cells was inhibited after depletion of cholesterol in the plasma membrane (preventing caveolin-mediated endocytosis) and inhibition of clathrin-coated vesicles (preventing clathrin-mediated endocytosis). Our data showed that a combination of several distinguishable endocytotic uptake mechanisms are involved in the uptake of 40 nm polystyrene nanoparticles in both the macrophage and epithelial cell line.

Enhancement of the efficiency of non-viral gene delivery by application of pulsed magnetic field

New approaches to increase the efficiency of non-viral gene delivery are still required. Here we report a simple approach that enhances gene delivery using permanent and pulsating magnetic fields. DNA plasmids and novel DNA fragments (PCR products) containing sequence encoding for green fluorescent protein were coupled to polyethylenimine coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs). The complexes were added to cells that were subsequently exposed to permanent and pulsating magnetic fields. Presence of these magnetic fields significantly increased the transfection efficiency 40 times more than in cells not exposed to the magnetic field. The transfection efficiency was highest when the nanoparticles were sedimented on the permanent magnet before the application of the pulsating field, both for small (50 nm) and large (200–250 nm) nanoparticles. The highly efficient gene transfer already within 5 min shows that this technique is a powerful tool for future in vivo studies, where rapid gene delivery is required before systemic clearance or filtration of the gene vectors occurs.

Particle Size Distribution Measurements of Manganese-Doped ZnS Nanoparticles

We performed particle size and particle size distribution measurements for L-cysteine-stabilized ZnS/Mn nanoparticles in the size region below 10 nm. For this we applied transmission electron microscopy (TEM), analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (aF-FFF) measurements, and we calculated particle sizes with the help of X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and the shift of the band gap absorption in the UV-vis spectrum. The different methods are explained, and their limitations are discussed, with the conclusion that only a combination of different techniques can yield a realistic and complete picture about the size distribution of the sample. From these methods TEM, AUC, DLS, and aF-FFF measure the actual particle size distribution either in dispersion or after drying of the sample, whereas the particle size obtained from XRD patterns and with the help of the band gap widening corresponds to the average size of the crystal domains within the particles. We obtained particle size distributions with their maximum between 3 and 7 nm and a mean crystallite size of 3.5-4 nm.

The in vivo performance of magnetic particle-loaded injectable, in situ gelling, carriers for the delivery of local hyperthermia

We investigated the use of in situ implant formation that incorporates superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a form of minimally invasive treatment of cancer lesions by magnetically induced local hyperthermia. We developed injectable formulations that form gels entrapping magnetic particles into a tumor. We used SPIONs embedded in silica microparticles to favor syringeability and incorporated the highest proportion possible to allow large heating capacities. Hydrogel, single-solvent organogel and cosolvent (low-toxicity hydrophilic solvent) organogel formulations were injected into human cancer tumors xenografted in mice. The thermoreversible hydrogels (poloxamer, chitosan), which accommodated 20% w/v of the magnetic microparticles, proved to be inadequate. Alginate hydrogels, however, incorporated 10% w/v of the magnetic microparticles, and the external gelation led to strong implants localizing to the tumor periphery, whereas internal gelation failed in situ. The organogel formulations, which consisted of precipitating polymers dissolved in single organic solvents, displayed various microstructures. A 8% poly(ethylene-vinyl alcohol) in DMSO containing 40% w/v of magnetic microparticles formed the most suitable implants in terms of tumor casting and heat delivery. Importantly, it is of great clinical interest to develop cosolvent formulations with up to 20% w/v of magnetic microparticles that show reduced toxicity and centered tumor implantation.

Engineering an in vitro air-blood barrier by 3D bioprinting

Intensive efforts in recent years to develop and commercialize in vitro alternatives in the field of risk assessment have yielded new promising two- and three dimensional (3D) cell culture models. Nevertheless, a realistic 3D in vitro alveolar model is not available yet. Here we report on the biofabrication of the human air-blood tissue barrier analogue composed of an endothelial cell, basement membrane and epithelial cell layer by using a bioprinting technology. In contrary to the manual method, we demonstrate that this technique enables automatized and reproducible creation of thinner and more homogeneous cell layers, which is required for an optimal air-blood tissue barrier. This bioprinting platform will offer an excellent tool to engineer an advanced 3D lung model for high-throughput screening for safety assessment and drug efficacy testing.

Dexamethasone-containing biodegradable superparamagnetic microparticles for intra-articular administration: physicochemical and magnetic properties, in vitro and in vivo drug release.

Compared with traditional drug solutions or suspensions, polymeric microparticles represent a valuable means to achieve controlled and prolonged drug delivery into joints, but still suffer from the drawback of limited retention duration in the articular cavity. In this study, our aim was to prepare and characterize magnetic biodegradable microparticles containing dexamethasone acetate (DXM) for intra-articular administration. The superparamagnetic properties, which result from the encapsulation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), allow for microparticle retention with an external magnetic field, thus possibly reducing their clearance from the joint. Two molecular weights of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were used, 12 and 19 kDa. The prepared batches were similar in size (around 10 microm), inner morphology, surface morphology, charge (neutral) and superparamagnetic behaviour. The SPION distribution in the microparticles assessed by TEM indicates a homogeneous distribution and the absence of aggregation, an important factor for preserving superparamagnetic properties. DXM release profiles were shown to be quite similar in vitro (ca. 6 days) and in vivo, using a mouse dorsal air pouch model (ca. 5 days).

Biomedical nanoparticles modulate specific CD4+ T cell stimulation by inhibition of antigen processing in dendritic cells

Abstract Understanding how nanoparticles may affect immune responses is an essential prerequisite to developing novel clinical applications. To investigate nanoparticle-dependent outcomes on immune responses, dendritic cells (DCs) were treated with model biomedical poly(vinylalcohol)-coated super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (PVA-SPIONs). PVA-SPIONs uptake by human monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) was analyzed by flow cytometry (FACS) and advanced imaging techniques. Viability, activation, function, and stimulatory capacity of MDDCs were assessed by FACS and an in vitro CD4+ T cell assay. PVA-SPION uptake was dose-dependent, decreased by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MDDC maturation at higher particle concentrations, and was inhibited by cytochalasin D pre-treatment. PVA-SPIONs did not alter surface marker expression (CD80, CD83, CD86, myeloid/plasmacytoid DC markers) or antigen-uptake, but decreased the capacity of MDDCs to process antigen, stimulate CD4+ T cells, and induce cytokines. The decreased antigen processing and CD4+ T cell stimulation capability of MDDCs following PVA-SPION treatment suggests that MDDCs may revert to a more functionally immature state following particle exposure.