TY - JOUR
T1 - Neutron Reflectometry reveals the interaction between functionalized SPIONs and the surface of lipid bilayers
AU - Luchini, Alessandra
AU - Gerelli, Yuri
AU - Fragneto, Giovanna
AU - Nylander, Tommy
AU - Pálsson, Gunnar K.
AU - Appavou, Marie-Sousai
AU - Paduano, Luigi
PY - 2017/3/1
Y1 - 2017/3/1
N2 - The safe application of nanotechnology devices in biomedicine requires fundamental understanding on how they interact with and affect the different components of biological systems. In this respect, the cellular membrane, the cell envelope, certainly represents an important target or barrier for nanosystems. Here we report on the interaction between functionalized SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs), promising contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and lipid bilayers that mimic the plasma membrane. Neutron Reflectometry, supported by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) experiments, was used to characterize this interaction by varying both SPION coating and lipid bilayer composition. In particular, the interaction of two different SPIONs, functionalized with a cationic surfactant and a zwitterionic phospholipid, and lipid bilayers, containing different amount of cholesterol, were compared. The obtained results were further validated by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements and Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) images. None of the investigated functionalized SPIONs were found to disrupt the lipid membrane. However, in all case we observed the attachment of the functionalized SPIONs onto the surface of the bilayers, which was affected by the bilayer rigidity, i.e. the cholesterol concentration.
AB - The safe application of nanotechnology devices in biomedicine requires fundamental understanding on how they interact with and affect the different components of biological systems. In this respect, the cellular membrane, the cell envelope, certainly represents an important target or barrier for nanosystems. Here we report on the interaction between functionalized SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs), promising contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and lipid bilayers that mimic the plasma membrane. Neutron Reflectometry, supported by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) experiments, was used to characterize this interaction by varying both SPION coating and lipid bilayer composition. In particular, the interaction of two different SPIONs, functionalized with a cationic surfactant and a zwitterionic phospholipid, and lipid bilayers, containing different amount of cholesterol, were compared. The obtained results were further validated by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) measurements and Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) images. None of the investigated functionalized SPIONs were found to disrupt the lipid membrane. However, in all case we observed the attachment of the functionalized SPIONs onto the surface of the bilayers, which was affected by the bilayer rigidity, i.e. the cholesterol concentration.
KW - Cholesterol
KW - Lysophosphatidylcholine
KW - Neutron reflectometry
KW - SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs)
KW - Supported lipid bilayers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85006158676&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.12.005
DO - 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.12.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 27987458
AN - SCOPUS:85006158676
SN - 0927-7765
VL - 151
SP - 76
EP - 87
JO - Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces
JF - Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces
ER -