Polyvinyl-Pyrrolidone-Coated Silver Nanoparticles-The Colloidal, Chemical, and Biological Consequences of Steric Stabilization under Biorelevant Conditions.

Andrea Rónavári,Zoltán Kónya,Péter Bélteky,Nóra Igaz,Bettina Szerencsés,Ilona Pfeiffer,Dalma Zakupszky,Eszter Boka,Mónika Kiricsi

doi:10.3390/ijms22168673

Andrea Rónavári, Zoltán Kónya + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22168673

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Abstract

(1) Background: Several properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), such as cytotoxic, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities, have been subjects of intense research; however, important aspects such as nanoparticle aggregation are generally neglected, although a decline in colloidal stability leads to a loss of the desired biological activities. Colloidal stability is affected by pH, ionic strength, or a plethora of biomolecules that interact with AgNPs under biorelevant conditions. (2) Methods: As only a few studies have focused on the relationship between aggregation behavior and the biological properties of AgNPs, here, we have systematically evaluated this issue by completing a thorough analysis of sterically (via polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP)) stabilized AgNPs that were subjected to different circumstances. We assessed ultraviolet–visible light absorption, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements, in vitro cell viability, and microdilution assays to screen both colloidal stability as well as bioactivity. (3) Results: The results revealed that although PVP provided outstanding biorelevant colloidal stability, the chemical stability of AgNPs could not be maintained completely with this capping material. (4) Conclusion: These unexpected findings led to the realization that stabilizing materials have more profound importance in association with biorelevant applications of nanomaterials than just being simple colloidal stabilizers.

Highlights

Due to the numerous favorable features of nanomaterials, their application in various fields, including medical, food, consumer, health care, and industrial purposes, is constantly increasing
Our comprehensive chemical and biological data verify that PVP-stabilized silver nanoparticles are quite resistant against aggregation under biorelevant conditions and demonstrate the highest time-dependent toxicity we have reported to date
Despite the outstanding colloidal stability of the sample, the chemical degradation of AgNPs through AgCl precipitation was detected in the presence of elevated Cl− concentrations

Summary

Introduction

Due to the numerous favorable features of nanomaterials, their application in various fields, including medical, food, consumer, health care, and industrial purposes, is constantly increasing Characterization of their chemical and biological behavior is fundamental to ensure safe and predictable application, especially upon encountering living organisms. The excellent properties of nanosilver are especially exploited since AgNPs are known to exhibit outstanding antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiangiogenic activities. These unique chemical, physical, and biological properties of AgNPs are massively influenced by a number of factors such as nanoparticle size and morphology or by surface coating, which are generally determined at nanoparticle synthesis [5,6,7]. A plethora of procedures have been developed for AgNP production; the most common approach, which is highly effective and easy to control, is the chemical reduction of a silver salt using various reducing and capping agents [10]

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