Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H4B 1R6, Canada.
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada.
Sci Rep. 2017 Sep 6;7(1):10678. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-10872-3.
Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are used for a number of imaging and therapeutic applications in east and western part of the world. For thousands of years, the traditional Indian Ayurvedic approach to healing involves the use of incinerated gold ash, prepared with a variety of plant extracts and minerals depending on the region. Here, we describe the characterization of incinerated gold particles (IAuPs) in HeLa (human cells derived from cervical cancer) and HFF-1 (human foreskin fibroblast cells) in comparison to synthesized citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). We found that while individual IAuP crystallites are around 60 nm in size, they form large aggregates with a mean diameter of 4711.7 nm, some of which can enter cells. Fewer cells appeared to have IAuPs compared to AuNPs, although neither type of particle was toxic to cells. Imaging studies revealed that IAuPs were in vesicles, cytosol, or in the nucleus. We found that their nuclear accumulation likely occurred after nuclear envelope breakdown during cell division. We also found that larger IAuPs entered cells via macropinocytosis, while smaller particles entered via clathrin-dependent receptor-mediated endocytosis.
金纳米颗粒（AuNPs）在世界东西方的许多成像和治疗应用中都有使用。几千年来，传统的印度阿育吠陀治疗方法涉及使用焚烧金灰，根据地区的不同，用各种植物提取物和矿物质制备。在这里，我们描述了焚烧金颗粒（IAuPs）在 HeLa（人宫颈癌细胞）和 HFF-1（人包皮成纤维细胞）中的特性，与合成的柠檬酸金纳米颗粒（AuNPs）进行了比较。我们发现，虽然单个 IAuP 纳米晶体的尺寸约为 60nm，但它们形成了平均直径为 4711.7nm 的大聚集体，其中一些可以进入细胞。与 AuNPs 相比，似乎有较少的细胞含有 IAuPs，尽管这两种粒子都对细胞没有毒性。成像研究表明，IAuPs 位于囊泡、细胞质或核内。我们发现，它们的核内积累可能发生在细胞分裂期间核膜破裂之后。我们还发现，较大的 IAuPs 通过巨胞饮作用进入细胞，而较小的颗粒则通过网格蛋白依赖的受体介导的内吞作用进入细胞。
