1. Effect of Albumin on Stability of Silver Nanoparticles in Biological Media
Tea Crnković 1, Ivona Capjak 2, Darija Jurašin 3, Marija Ćurlin 4, Ivana Vinković Vrček 5
1Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Croatia; 2Croatian Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; 3 Institute ”Ruđer Bošković”, Zagreb, Croatia;
4 Croatian Institute for Brain Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia; 5 Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Objectives Methods
Conclusion
Results
Table 1. Zeta potential values (in mV) of silver
nanoparticles in ultrapure water (UPW), cell-free culture
medium (CCM), and cell-free culture medium
supplemented with 0.1% bovine serum albumin
(CCM+BSA) after 1 h.
Stability of 6 types of silver NPs
which differ according to the
coating agent applied for surface
modifications: citrate (AgCIT),
bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate
(AgAOT), polyvinyl-pyrrolidone
(AgPVP), Tween 20
(AgTWEEN20), poly-L-lysine
(AgPLL), and cetyltrimethyl
ammonium (AgCTA) was
evaluated. Characterization and
stability evaluation of NPs were
done upon suspension in ultrapure
water (UPW), cell free culture
medium (CCM - Dulbecco's
Modified Eagle Medium) and CCM
supplemented with 0.1% bovine
serum albumin (BSA) by means of
dynamic light scattering (DLS),
electrophoretic light scattering
(ELS) and transmission electron
microscopy (TEM).
Presented DLS, ELS and TEM results showed particles
organized in nanometric aggregates in UPW, CCM and
CCM with BSA. In CCM, NPs become destabilized due
to increased ionic strength of CCM and aggregated
forming micrometric clusters. Only AgPVP was stable in
CCM. Addition of BSA to CCM decreased significantly
aggregation of AgNPs due to BSA binding to the
surface of NPs. Thus, formation of a so-called “protein
corona” prevented NPs aggregation and agglomeration.
Aggregation behaviour could be further explained by
ELS data. ζ potential of NPs decreased after
suspension in CCM, while added BSA reduced the
change of ζ potential, except with AgPLL, AgAOT and
AgCTA. Therefore, biocompatible bulky capping agents,
such as BSA, provide steric colloidal stabilization of
NPs.
These results are the first step of our future research of
the behaviour of NPs with different coatings in the real
biological conditions.
Research and development in the area of nanoscience
and nanotechnology offer new opportunities for making
superior nanomaterials (NMs) having an enormous
economic potential for new drugs and medical
treatments, electronics, and environmental
remediation. Due to the large production volume of
NMs, manufactured nanoparticles (NPs), the primary
building blocks of NMs, may be released into the
environment during handling, washing, disposal or
abrasion, thus, raising concerns about potential toxic
effects of NMs on the environment and human health.
In biological fluids, NPs may associate with proteins
that largely define the biological identity of the particle,
contributing also to unwanted biological side effects.
Despite a large number of in vitro or in vivo studies on
the toxicity of various NPs, strict physicochemical data
on the primary steps of their stability and behaviour in
biological media are still missing.
The purpose of this study was to analyze the
dispersability of silver NPs under conditions close to
body fluids.
Disclosure
All authors have nothing to disclose. This research
was supported by EU FP7 grant Glowbrain
(REGPOT-2012-CT2012-316120).
UPW CCM CCM+BSA
AgCIT 13.4 ± 2.5 (85.5%)
63.3 ± 14.1 (14.1%)
58.7 ± 26.8 (11%)
484.4 ± 211.3 (89%)
114.2 ± 12.8 (83.8%)
22.4 ± 2.9 (16.2%)
AgPLL 7.4 ± 1.3 (96.2%)
55.1 ± 13.4 (3.7%)
686.6 ± 133.8 (96.0%)
5288.6 ± 91.5 (3.2%)
90.7 ± 3.2 (41.9%)
211.9 ± 11.8 (55.9%)
AgCTA 6.2 ± 4.6 (69.8%)
40.0 ± 17.4 (26.3%)
158.5 ± 62.2 (3.7%)
100.1 ± 51.6 (26.9%)
442.7 ± 175.3 (73.1%)
71.6 ± 6.4 (99.6%)
AgAOT 19.9 ± 0.5 (99.8%) 409.0 ± 74.1 (93.2%)
5350.6 ± 127.6 (7.3%)
46.9 ± 5.9 (91.2%)
671.0 ± 140.4 (8.8%)
AgTWEEN20 5.5 ± 0.3 (98.9%)
36.1 ± 2.5 (1.2%)
11.3 ± 2.4 (93.2%)
98.3 ± 15.9 (4.5%)
55.2 ± 6.8 (99.7%)
AgPVP 4.7 ± 0.9 (98.7%)
33.5 ± 4.0 (1.7%)
4.1 ± 1.2 (98.5%)
37.9 ± 7.6 (1.6%)
59.6 ± 11.4 (99.1%)
UPW CCM CCM+BSA
AgCIT -39.9 ± 1.7 - 9.1 ± 0.9 -11.8 ± 0.4
AgPLL +23.6 ± 4.0 -5.4 ± 2.0 -12.3 ± 1.2
AgCTA +37.6 ± 1.6 -8.3 ± 3.0 -12.0 ± 1.3
AgAOT -27.3 ± 0.1 -19.1 ± 1.1 -9.9 ± 1.0
AgTWEEN20 -9.4 ± 1.3 -16.7 ± 1.2 -11.5 ± 0.8
AgPVP -11.2 ± 2.3 -6.6 ± 0.6 -10.0 ± 0.7
UPW CCM CCM+BSA
Table 2. Hydrodynamic diameter (dH, in nm) and size distribution by volume (in %) of silver nanoparticles
in ultrapure water (UPW), cell-free culture medium (CCM), and cell-free culture medium supplemented
with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (CCM+BSA) after 1 h.
Figure 1. TEM micrographs of silver nanoparticles coated with citrate (AgCIT), bis(2-ethyl-hexyl) sulfosuccinate (AgAOT)
and poly-L-lysine (AgPLL) in ultrapure water (UPW), cell-free culture medium (CCM), and cell-free culture medium
supplemented with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (CCM+BSA). Scale bars are 100 nm.
AgPLLAgAOTAgCIT
Contact: tea.crnkovic92@gmail.com