Influence of surface coatings of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) particles on HepG2 cell behavior and particle fate

This study is focused on the intracellular fate of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) particles with different surface coatings after cellular uptake, and their influence on the functions of human liver cancer cells (HepG2 cells). The PLGA particles coated with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) with a similar diameter of ∼400 nm but different surface chemistry were prepared. The intracellular distribution of the PLGA particles was also largely dependent on their surface coatings. The PLGA-PEI particles were removed from cells by exocytosis with a slower rate compared to the PLGA-BSA particles. In general, uptake of both types of the PLGA particles did not cause apparent impedance on cell viability and cell cycle, but uptake of the PLGA-PEI particles did have certain influence on cell functions such as intracellular level of reactive oxygen species, cytoskeleton organization, cell migration, and secretion levels of triglyceride.