Cellular Uptake, Cytotoxicity and Trafficking of Supported Lipid-Bilayer-Coated Lanthanide Upconverting Nanoparticles in Alveolar Lung Cancer Cells

Chemo-photodynamic antitumour therapy based on Er-doped upconversion nanoparticles coated with hypocrellin B and MnO2

An antitumour chemo-photodynamic therapy nanoplatform was constructed based on phospholipid-coated NaYF4: Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). In this work, the amphiphilic block copolymer DSPE-PEG2000 was combined with the surface ligand oleic acid of the UCNPs through hydrophobic interaction to form liposomes with a dense hydrophobic layer in which the photosensitizer hypocrellin B (HB) was assembled. The coated HB formed J-aggregates, which caused a large redshift in the absorption spectrum and improved the quantum efficiency of energy transfer. Furthermore, MnO2 nanosheets grew in-situ on the liposomes through OMn coordination. Therefore, a multifunctional tumour microenvironment (TME)-responsive theranostic nanoplatform integrating photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) was successfully developed. The results showed that this NIR-mediated chemo-photodynamic therapy nanoplatform was highly efficient for oncotherapy.

Silica-coated LiYF4:Yb3+, Tm3+ upconverting nanoparticles are non-toxic and activate minor stress responses in mammalian cells

Lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) are ideal candidates for use in biomedicine. The interaction of nanomaterials with biological systems determines whether they are suitable for use in living cells. In-depth knowledge of the nano-bio interactions is therefore a pre-requisite for the development of biomedical applications. The current study evaluates fundamental aspects of the NP-cell interface for square bipyramidal UCNPs containing a LiYF4:Yb3+, Tm3+ core and two different silica surface coatings. Given their importance for mammalian physiology, fibroblast and renal proximal tubule epithelial cells were selected as cellular model systems. We have assessed the toxicity of the UCNPs and measured their impact on the homeostasis of living non-malignant cells. Rigorous analyses were conducted to identify possible toxic and sub-lethal effects of the UCNPs. To this end, we examined biomarkers that reveal if UCNPs induce cell killing or stress. Quantitative measurements demonstrate that short-term exposure to the UCNPs had no profound effects on cell viability, cell size or morphology. Indicators of oxidative, endoplasmic reticulum, or nucleolar stress, and the production of molecular chaperones varied with the surface modification of the UCNPs and the cell type analyzed. These differences emphasize the importance of evaluating cells of diverse origin that are relevant to the intended use of the nanomaterials. Taken together, we established that short-term, our square bipyramidal UCNPs are not toxic to non-malignant fibroblast and proximal renal epithelial cells. Compared with established inducers of cellular stress, these UCNPs have minor effects on cellular homeostasis. Our results build the foundation to explore square bipyramidal UCNPs for future in vivo applications.

Biotinylated Lipid-Coated NaLnF4 Nanoparticles: Demonstrating the Use of Lanthanide Nanoparticle-Based Reporters in Suspension and Imaging Mass Cytometry

Lanthanide nanoparticles (LnNPs) have the potential to be used as high-sensitivity mass tag reporters in mass cytometry immunoassays. For this application, however, the LnNPs must be made colloidally stable in aqueous buffers, demonstrate minimal non-specific binding to cells, and have functional groups to attach antibodies or other targeting agents. One possible approach to address these requirements is by using lipid coating to modify the surface of the LnNPs. In this work, 39 nm diameter NaYF₄:Yb, Er NPs (LnNPs) were coated with a lipid formulation consisting of egg sphingomyelin, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane, cholesterol-(polyethylene glycol-600), and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[biotinyl(polyethylene glycol)-2000]. The resulting biotinylated lipid-coated LnNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering to determine the hydrodynamic size and stability in phosphate buffered saline, and the composition of the lipid coatings was quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The specific and non-specific binding of the biotinylated lipid-coated LnNPs to a model system of functionalized polystyrene microbeads were then tested by both suspension and imaging mass cytometry. We found that targeted binding with minimal non-specific binding can be achieved with the lipid-coated LnNPs and that the lipid composition of the coating has an impact on the performance of the LnNPs as mass cytometry reporters. These results additionally establish the importance of quantifying the composition of lipid-coated nanomaterials to optimize them more effectively for their desired application.

Biohybrid approaches to interface with the nervous system: the best of both worlds

Synthetic materials and devices that interact with light, ultrasound, or magnetic fields can be used to modulate neural activity with high spatial and temporal precision; however, these approaches often lack the ability to target genetically defined cell types and signaling pathways. Genetically encoded proteins can be expressed to modify the host tissue and provide cellular and molecular specificity, but compared to synthetic materials, these proteins often interact weakly with externally applied energy sources. Synthetic materials can respond to optical, acoustic, and magnetic stimuli to focus, convert, and amplify forms of energy to ones that are more accessible to engineered cells and proteins. By combining the devices, synthetic materials, and genetically encoded proteins or cells, researchers can gain the ability to interface with the nervous system with improved spatiotemporal, cell-type and molecular precision. Here we review recent advances in these 'biohybrid' approaches that use optical, acoustic, and magnetic energy sources.

Uptake of Upconverting Nanoparticles by Breast Cancer Cells: Surface Coating versus the Protein Corona

Fluorophores with multifunctional properties known as rare-earth-doped nanoparticles (RENPs) are promising candidates for bioimaging, therapy, and drug delivery. When applied in vivo, these nanoparticles (NPs) have to retain long blood-circulation time, bypass elimination by phagocytic cells, and successfully arrive at the target area. Usually, NPs in a biological medium are exposed to proteins, which form the so-called "protein corona" (PC) around the NPs and influence their targeted delivery and accumulation in cells and tissues. Different surface coatings change the PC size and composition, subsequently deciding the fate of the NPs. Thus, detailed studies on the PC are of utmost importance to determine the most suitable NP surface modification for biomedical use. When it comes to RENPs, these studies are particularly scarce. Here, we investigate the PC composition and its impact on the cellular uptake of citrate-, SiO₂-, and phospholipid micelle-coated RENPs (LiYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺). We observed that the PC of citrate- and phospholipid-coated RENPs is relatively stable and similar in the adsorbed protein composition, while the PC of SiO₂-coated RENPs is larger and highly dynamic. Moreover, biocompatibility, accumulation, and cytotoxicity of various RENPs in cancer cells have been evaluated. On the basis of the cellular imaging, supported by the inhibition studies, it was revealed that RENPs are internalized by endocytosis and that specific endocytic routes are PC composition dependent. Overall, these results are essential to fill the gaps in the fundamental understanding of the nano-biointeractions of RENPs, pertinent for their envisioned application in biomedicine.