Gold Nanoclusters Display Low Immunogenic Effect in Microglia Cells

Gold nanoparticles hold a great promise for both clinical and preclinical applications. The major factors impeding such applications are toxicity of new nanomaterials including e.g., pro-apoptotic activities or inflammatory effects, but also their potential to accumulate in the body or inadequate absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) profiles. Since such adverse effects depend on the size, form and coating of nanomaterials, the search for new, less toxic nanomaterials with low tendency to accumulate is highly active domain of research. Here, we describe optical and biological properties of Au18 gold nanoclusters (NCs), small gold nanoparticles composed of 18 atoms of gold and stabilized with glutathione ligands. These nanoclusters may be suitable for in vivo applications owing to their low toxicity and biodistribution profile. Specifically, using lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) test in P19 cell line we found that Au18 NCs display low toxicity in vitro. Importantly, using primary microglial cells we showed that at low concentrations Au18 NCs display anti-inflammatory signaling on evidence of reduced interleukin 1-β (IL1-β) levels and unchanged levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) or Ym1/2. Such effect was dose dependent as higher concentrations of Au18 NCs induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and suppression of anti-inflammatory cytokine Ym1/2, pointing, thus, to global inflammatory activity. Finally, we also showed that within 3 days Au18 NCs can be completely eliminated from the liver reported as the major target organ for accumulation of gold nanoparticles. These data point to a potential of gold nanoparticles for further biomedical studies.