Abstract
Cerium Oxide nanoparticles (CeO(2-x) NPs) are modified with polymer brushes of negatively charged poly (3-sulfopropylmethacrylate) (PSPM) and positively charged poly (2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl-trimethylammonium chloride) (PMETAC) by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation (ATRP). CeO(2-x) NPs are fluorescently labelled by covalently attaching Alexa Fluor® 488/Fluorescein isothiocyanate to the NP surface prior to polymerisation. Cell uptake, intracellular distribution and the impact on the generation of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) with respect to CeO(2-x) NPs are studied by means of Raman Confocal Microscopy (CRM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS). PSPM and PMETAC coated CeO(2-x) NPs show slower and less uptake compared to uncoated Brush modified NPs display a higher degree of co-localisation with cell endosomes and lysosomes after 24 h of incubation. They also show higher co-localisation with lipid bodies when compared to unmodified CeO(2-x) NPs. The brush coating does not prevent CeO(2-x) NPs from displaying antioxidant properties.
Highlights
IntroductionPolyelectrolyte chains in the brush are attached at one end of the polymer chain to the particle while the other end remains unattached
Spherical brushes are polymer brushes tethered to a colloidal particle
Intracellular distribution and the impact on the generation of intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) with respect to CeO2−x NPs are studied by means of Raman Confocal Microscopy (CRM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS)
Summary
Polyelectrolyte chains in the brush are attached at one end of the polymer chain to the particle while the other end remains unattached. In this molecular arrangement, the polymer chains retain a significant degree of freedom, similar to being in solution. An important application of spherical polyelectrolyte brushes is their use in the dispersion of particles in aqueous media due to the multiple charges provided by the polymer chains.[1,2,3,4] brushes can be very useful for providing charge and stabilising nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous media while coating the NPs with a thin polymer shell. The thickness and density of this shell can be controlled by the polymerisation conditions and reaction time
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