Wide Varieties of Cationic Nanoparticles Induce Defects in Supported Lipid Bilayers

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 420 - 424
• Main Authors: Leroueil, Pascale R, Berry, Stephanie A, Duthie, Kristen, Han, Gang, Rotello, Vincent M, McNerny, Daniel Q, Baker, James R, Orr, Bradford G, Banaszak Holl, Mark M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.02.2008
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Cations; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystallization - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Lipid Bilayers - chemistry; Macromolecular Substances - chemistry; Materials science; Materials Testing; Membrane Fluidity; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Molecular Conformation; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Nanotechnology - methods; Others; Particle Size; Physics; Surface Properties; Various methods and equipments; Atomic force microscopy; Gold; Nanotoxicology; Macromolecules; Dextran derivatives; Lipids; Cell membranes; Physical properties; Lipid bilayers; Nanoparticles; Proteins; Polycation; Silicon oxides; Breakdown; Polymers; Nanostructured materials; Polyethylene imine
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl0722929

Nanoparticles with widely varying physical properties and origins (spherical versus irregular, synthetic versus biological, organic versus inorganic, flexible versus rigid, small versus large) have been previously noted to translocate across the cell plasma membrane. We have employed atomic force microscopy to determine if the physical disruption of lipid membranes, formation of holes and/or thinned regions, is a common mechanism of interaction between these nanoparticles and lipids. It was found that a wide variety of nanoparticles, including a cell penetrating pepide (MSI-78), a protein (TAT), polycationic polymers (PAMAM dendrimers, pentanol-core PAMAM dendrons, polyethyleneimine, and diethylaminoethyl-dextran), and two inorganic particles (Au-NH2, SiO2-NH2), can induce disruption, including the formation of holes, membrane thinning, and/or membrane erosion, in supported lipid bilayers.