Anionic Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles Bind to Coagulation Factors and Disturb Normal Hemostatic Balance

Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (usNPs) and nanoclusters are an emerging class of nanomaterials exhibiting distinctive physicochemical properties and in vivo behaviors. Although understanding the interactions of usNPs with blood components is of fundamental importance to advance their clinical translation, currently, little is known about the way that usNPs interact with the hemostatic system. This study describes the effects of a model anionic p-mercaptobenzoic acid-coated usNP on the coagulation cascade, with particular emphasis on the contact pathway. It is found that in a purified system, the anionic usNPs bind to and activate factor XII (FXII). The formed usNP-FXII complexes are short-lived (residence time of ∼10 s) and characterized by an affinity constant of ∼200 nM. In human plasma, the anionic usNPs activate the contact pathway and promote coagulation. The usNPs also exhibit anticoagulant activity in plasma by interfering with the thrombin-mediated cleavage of fibrinogen. Taken together, these findings establish that anionic usNPs can disturb the normal hemostatic balance, which in turn may hinder their clinical translation. Finally, it is shown that usNPs can be designed to be nearly inert in plasma by surface coating with the natural peptide glutathione.