Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Rey Juan Carlos University, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid, Spain.
Department of Basic Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Avda. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2020 Jul;112:110935. doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2020.110935. Epub 2020 Apr 8.
Hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) consist of a network of cavities confined by mesoporous shells that have emerged as promising tools for drug delivery or diagnostic. The physicochemical properties of HMSNs are dictated by the synthesis conditions but which conditions affect which property and how it impacts on biological interactions is unclear. Here by changing the concentration of the structure-directing agent (SDA), the pH and the ratio between SDA and added salt (NaCl) we determine the effects in size, morphology, surface charge and density or degree of compaction (physicochemical properties) of HMSNs and define their impact on their biological interactions with human colon cancer or healthy cells at the level of cellular uptake and viability. Increased size or density/degree of compaction of HMSNs increases their cytotoxicity. Strikingly, high salt concentrations in the synthesis medium leads to a spiky-shell morphology that provokes nuclear fragmentation and irreversible cell damage turning HMSNs lethal and unveiling intrinsic therapeutic potential. This strategy may open new avenues to design HMSNs nanoarchitectures with intrinsic therapeutic properties without incorporation of external pharmaceutical ingredients.
中空介孔硅纳米颗粒（HMSNs）由介孔壳限制的空腔网络组成，它们已成为药物输送或诊断的有前途的工具。HMSNs 的物理化学性质取决于合成条件，但哪些条件会影响哪些性质以及它如何影响生物相互作用尚不清楚。在这里，通过改变结构导向剂（SDA）的浓度、pH 值以及 SDA 与添加盐（NaCl）的比例，我们确定了 HMSNs 在尺寸、形态、表面电荷和密度或压实度（物理化学性质）方面的影响，并定义了它们对其与人类结肠癌细胞或健康细胞在细胞摄取和活力水平上的生物相互作用的影响。HMSNs 的尺寸增大或密度/压实度增加会导致其细胞毒性增加。引人注目的是，合成介质中高盐浓度会导致壳层形态呈刺状，从而引发核碎片和不可逆的细胞损伤，使 HMSNs 具有致命性，并揭示内在的治疗潜力。这种策略可能为设计具有内在治疗特性的 HMSNs 纳米结构开辟新途径，而无需掺入外部药物成分。
