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Published on: January 2, 2015
Cellular Endocytosis and Trafficking of Cholera Toxin B-Modified Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles
William A Walker1, Mubin Tarannum2, Juan L Vivero-Escoto1
1Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte NC 28223, U.S.A.; The Center for Biomedical Engineering and Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte NC 28223, U.S.A.
Abstract:
In this study, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were functionalized with Cholera toxin subunit B (CTxB) protein to influence their intracellular trafficking pathways. The CTxB-MSN carrier was synthesized, and its chemical and structural properties were characterized. Endocytic pathway inhibition assays showed that the uptake of CTxB-MSNs in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells was partially facilitated by both chlatrin- and caveolae-mediated endocytosis mechanisms. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) experiments demonstrated that CTxB-MSNs were taken up by the cells and partially trafficked through the trans-Golgi network into to the endoplasmic reticulum in a retrograde fashion. The delivery abilities of CTxB-MSNs were evaluated using propidium iodide, an impermeable cell membrane dye. LSCM images depicted the release of propidium iodide in the endoplasmic reticulum and cell nucleus of HeLa cells.
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