Modified PAMAM dendrimer with 4-carbomethoxypyrrolidone surface groups reveals negligible toxicity against three rodent cell-lines

Modification of the surface groups of dendrimers is one of the methods to improve their biocompatibility. This article presents results of experiments related to the toxicity of a modified polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer of the fourth generation with 4-carbomethoxypyrrolidone surface groups (PAMAM-pyrrolidone dendrimer). The cytotoxic activity of the dendrimer was tested on Chinese hamster fibroblasts (B14), embryonic mouse hippocampal cells (mHippoE-18) and rat liver derived cells (BRL-3A). The same cell lines were used to investigate the influence of pyrrolidone dendrimer on the mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular ROS level and its ability to induce apoptosis or necrosis. The analyzed dendrimer showed only minor toxicity and no ability to induce apoptosis. The most important finding is the lack of influence of the PAMAM-pyrrolidone dendrimer on intracellular ROS level and mitochondrial membrane potential. From the Clinical Editor The authors demonstrate that pyrrolidone-functionalized PAMAM dendrimers have very low toxicity in the tested cell lines, as evidenced by no alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential and no increase of ROS production.