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Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) are one of the main sources of the nanoparticulate matter exposure to humans. Although several studies have demonstrated their potential toxic effects, the real nature of the correlation between NP properties and their interaction with biological targets is still far from being fully elucidated. Here, engineered TiO2 NPs with various geometries (bipyramids, plates, and rods) have been prepared, characterized and intravenously administered in healthy mice. Parameters such as biodistribution, accumulation, and toxicity have been assessed in the lungs and liver. Our data show that the organ accumulation of TiO2 NPs, measured by ICP-MS, is quite low, and this is only partially and transiently affected by the NP geometries. The long-lasting permanence is exclusively restricted to the lungs. Here, bipyramids and plates show a higher accumulation, and interestingly, rod-shaped NPs are the most toxic, leading to histopathological pulmonary alterations. In addition, they are also able to induce a transient increase in serum markers related to hepatocellular injury. These results indicate that rods, more than bipyramidal and spherical geometries, lead to a stronger and more severe biological effect. Overall, small physico-chemical differences can dramatically modify both accumulation and safety.

Sodium citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are destabilized when dispersed in cell culture media (CCMs). This may promote their aggregation and subsequent sedimentation, or under the proper conditions, their interaction with dispersed proteins can lead to the formation of a NP-stabilizing protein corona. CCMs are ionic solutions that contain growth substances which are typically supplemented, in addition to serum, with different substances such as dyes, antioxidants, and antibiotics. In this study, the impact of phenol red, penicillin-streptomycin, L-glutamine, and beta-mercaptoethanol on the formation of the NP-protein corona in CCMs was investigated. Similar protein coronas were obtained except in the presence of antibiotics. Under these conditions, the protein corona took more time to be formed, and its density and composition were altered, as indicated by UV-vis spectroscopy, Z potential, dynamic light scattering, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. As a consequence of these modifications, a significantly different AuNP cellular uptake was measured, showing that NP uptake increased as did the NP aggregate formation. AuNP uptake studies performed in the presence of clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis inhibitors showed that neither clathrin receptors nor lipid rafts were significantly involved in the internalization mechanism. These results suggest that in these conditions, NP aggregation is the main mechanism responsible for their cellular uptake.

HIV represents a persistent infection which negatively alters the immune system. New tools to reinvigorate different immune cell populations to impact HIV are needed. Herein, a novel nanotool for the specific enhancement of the natural killer (NK) immune response towards HIV-infected T-cells has been developed. Bispecific Au nanoparticles (BiAb-AuNPs), dually conjugated with IgG anti-HIVgp120 and IgG anti-human CD16 antibodies, were generated by a new controlled, linker-free and cooperative conjugation method promoting the ordered distribution and segregation of antibodies in domains. The cooperatively-adsorbed antibodies fully retained the capabilities to recognize their cognate antigen and were able to significantly enhance cell-to-cell contact between HIV-expressing cells and NK cells. As a consequence, the BiAb-AuNPs triggered a potent cytotoxic response against HIV-infected cells in blood and human tonsil explants. Remarkably, the BiAb-AuNPs were able to significantly reduce latent HIV infection after viral reactivation in a primary cell model of HIV latency. This novel molecularly-targeted strategy using a bispecific nanotool to enhance the immune system represents a new approximation with potential applications beyond HIV. (C) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Soils might be a final sink for Ag2S nanoparticles (NPs). Still, there are limited data on their effects on soil bacterial communities (SBC). To bridge this gap, we investigated the effects of Ag2S NPs (10 mg kg−1 soil) on the structure and function of SBC in a terrestrial indoor mesocosm, using a multi-species design. During 28 days of exposure, the SBC function-related parameters were analysed in terms of enzymatic activity, community level physiological profile, culture of functional bacterial groups [phosphorous-solubilizing bacteria (P-SB) and heterotrophic bacteria (HB)], and SBC structure was analysed by 16S rRNA gene-targeted denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The SBC exposed to Ag2S NPs showed a significative decrease of functional parameters, such as β-glucosidase activity and L-arginine consumption, and increase of the acid phosphatase activity. At the structural level, significantly lower richness and diversity were detected, but at later exposure times compared to the AgNO3 treatment, likely because of a low dissolution rate of Ag2S NPs. In fact, stronger effects were observed in soils spiked with AgNO3, in both functional and structural parameters. Changes in SBC structure seem to negatively correlate with parameters related to phosphorous (acid phosphatase activity) and carbon cycling (abundance of HB, P-SB, and β-glucosidase activity). Our results indicate a significant effect of Ag2S NPs on SBC, specifically on parameters related to carbon and phosphorous cycling, at doses as low as 10 mg kg-1 soil. These effects were only observed after 28 days, highlighting the importance of long-term exposure experiments for slowly dissolving NPs.

The interaction of inorganic nanoparticles and many biological fluids often withstands the formation of a Protein Corona enveloping the nanoparticle. This Protein Corona provides the biological identity to the nanoparticle that the immune system will detect. The formation of this Protein Corona depends not only on the composition of the nanoparticle, its size, shape, surface state and exposure time, but also on the type of media, nanoparticle to protein ratio and the presence of ions and other molecular species that interfere in the interaction between proteins and nanoparticles. This has important implications on immune safety, biocompatibility and the use of nanoparticles in medicine.

Magnetostatic (dipolar) interactions between nanoparticles promise to open new ways to design nanocrystalline magnetic materials and devices if the collective magnetic properties can be controlled at the nanoparticle level. Magnetic dipolar interactions are sufficiently strong to sustain magnetic order at ambient temperature in assemblies of closely-spaced nanoparticles with magnetic moments of ≥ 100 μ(B). Here we use electron holography with sub-particle resolution to reveal the correlation between particle arrangement and magnetic order in self-assembled 1D and quasi-2D arrangements of 15 nm cobalt nanoparticles. In the initial states, we observe dipolar ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism and local flux closure, depending on the particle arrangement. Surprisingly, after magnetic saturation, measurements and numerical simulations show that overall ferromagnetic order exists in the present nanoparticle assemblies even when their arrangement is completely disordered. Such direct quantification of the correlation between topological and magnetic order is essential for the technological exploitation of magnetic quasi-2D nanoparticle assemblies.

© 2017 American Chemical Society.The design and use of materials in the nanoscale size range for addressing medical and health-related issues continues to receive increasing interest. Research in nanomedicine spans a multitude of areas, including drug delivery, vaccine development, antibacterial, diagnosis and imaging tools, wearable devices, implants, high-throughput screening platforms, etc. using biological, nonbiological, biomimetic, or hybrid materials. Many of these developments are starting to be translated into viable clinical products. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine and highlight the current challenges and upcoming opportunities for the field and translation to the clinic.

© 2017 American Chemical Society.The design and use of materials in the nanoscale size range for addressing medical and health-related issues continues to receive increasing interest. Research in nanomedicine spans a multitude of areas, including drug delivery, vaccine development, antibacterial, diagnosis and imaging tools, wearable devices, implants, high-throughput screening platforms, etc. using biological, nonbiological, biomimetic, or hybrid materials. Many of these developments are starting to be translated into viable clinical products. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in nanomedicine and highlight the current challenges and upcoming opportunities for the field and translation to the clinic.