Thermosensitive Ion Channel Activation in Single Neuronal Cells by Using Surface-Engineered Plasmonic Nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanomedicine
• Cellular Engineering

Background:

• External control of cell functions is crucial for cell engineering and disease therapy.
• Current methods often require genetic modification of target cells.
• Photoresponsive nanomaterials offer potential for non-invasive cell manipulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a non-genetic optogenetic platform for controlling neuronal cell functions.
• To investigate the use of plasma-membrane-targeted gold nanorods (pm-AuNRs) for activating thermosensitive cation channels.
• To enable precise, localized cellular responses using photothermal effects.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of pm-AuNRs using a cationic protein/lipid complex.
• Targeting pm-AuNRs to the plasma membrane of intact neuronal cells.
• Activation of the TRPV1 channel via localized photothermal heating from pm-AuNRs.
• Analysis of calcium (Ca2+) influx as a measure of cellular response.

Main Results:

• Localized photothermal heating by pm-AuNRs specifically activated the TRPV1 channel.
• This activation induced Ca2+ influx without causing membrane damage.
• Conventional polymer-coated gold nanorods induced Ca2+ influx through membrane damage, not selective channel activation.
• Demonstrated a viable optogenetic approach without prior genetic engineering.

Conclusions:

• The developed pm-AuNRs provide a non-genetic optogenetic platform for precise cell function control.
• This method offers a potential strategy for novel TRPV1-targeted phototherapeutic approaches.
• The technology bypasses the need for genetic modification, broadening its applicability.