Volume 14, Issue 42 1801451
Full Paper

Size, Shape, and Protein Corona Determine Cellular Uptake and Removal Mechanisms of Gold Nanoparticles

Lin Ding

Lin Ding

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Chenjie Yao

Chenjie Yao

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115 USA

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Xiaofeng Yin

Xiaofeng Yin

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Chenchen Li

Chenchen Li

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Yanan Huang

Yanan Huang

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Min Wu

Min Wu

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Bin Wang

Bin Wang

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Xiaoya Guo

Xiaoya Guo

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

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Yanli Wang

Corresponding Author

Yanli Wang

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115 USA

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
Minghong Wu

Corresponding Author

Minghong Wu

Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 P. R. China

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]Search for more papers by this author
First published: 21 September 2018
Citations: 166

Abstract

Size, shape, and protein corona play a key role in cellular uptake and removal mechanisms of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). The 15 nm nanoparticles (NP1), the 45 nm nanoparticles (NP2), and the rod-shaped nanoparticles (NR) enter into cells via a receptor-mediated endocytosis (RME) pathway. The star-shaped nanoparticles (NS) adopt not only clathrin-mediated, but also caveolin-mediated endocytosis pathways. However, the 80 nm nanoparitcles (NP3) mainly enter into the cells by macropinocytosis pathway due to the big size. Furthermore, the results indicate that the presence of protein corona can change the uptake mechanisms of Au NPs. The endocytosis pathway of NP1, NP2, and NS changes from RME to macropinocytosis pathway and NR changes from RME to clathrin and caveolin-independent pathway under the non-fetal bovine serun (FBS)-coated condition. Both FBS-coated and non-FBS-coated of five types of Au NPs are released out through the lysosomal exocytosis pathway. The size, shape, and protein corona have an effect on the exocytosis ratio and amount, but do not change the exocytosis mechanism. The systematic study of the endocytosis and exocytosis mechanism of Au NPs with different sizes and shapes will benefit the toxicology evaluation and nanomedicine application of Au NPs.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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