Physico-Chemical Characterization and Assessment of Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of Poly-Ethylene-Glycol Coated and Uncoated Gold Nanoparticles on Human Kidney (HK-2) Cells

Abstract

Although gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been widely used in medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of patients due to their unique physicochemical properties, chemical stability and biocompatibility, recent reports have also highlighted their potential to induce toxicity to humans. In the present study, we investigated the toxic effects of uncoated and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated AuNPs on human kidney (HK-2) cells. Both forms of AuNP were synthesized and characterized using standard protocols. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Sizer Nano ZS analyzer, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) were used to measure their distribution, zeta potential/surface charge, morphological size, and Au concentrations, respectively. Cytotoxicity was measured by Cyto-Tox assay and trypan blue exclusion test. Oxidative stress (OS) was assessed by quantifying the levels of Glutathione (GSH), and Mitochondria Membrane Potential (MMP). Genotoxicity was assessed by single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet assay) and Chromosomal Aberration (CA) assay. Uncoated AuNPs significantly reduced cell viability, increased ROS, decreased GSH, depolarized the MMP, and induced significant DNA damage and chromosomal alterations including chromosome gaps, centric rings, breaks, deletions, and intra and inter-chromosome exchanges, in a concentration-dependent manner. PEG-coated AuNPs displayed lower cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, and did not produce any significant increase in ROS or significant decrease in GSH along with negligible polarization of the MMP. Hence, PEG-coated AuNPs are relatively less toxic than uncoated AuNPs and therefore, may have potential applications in nanomedicine.