%J Nanotoxicology
%R 10.3109/17435390.2013.765054
%N 2
%L eprints3251
%D 2014
%X AbstractDendrimers are branched polymers with spherical morphology. Their tuneable chemistry and surface modification make them valuable nanomaterials for biomedical applications. In view of possible dendrimer uses as brain-aimed nanocarriers, the authors studied amine- and lipid-functionalised (G4) polyamidoamine (PAMAM) biocompatibility with cell population forming the blood?brain barrier (BBB). Both amine-PAMAM and lipid-PAMAM dendrimers were able to enter endothelial and primary neural cells. However, only amine-PAMAM damaged cell membranes in a dose-dependent manner. Transmission electron microscopy evidenced the ability of dendrimers to precipitate salts and serum components present in culture medium that slightly increased toxicity of the amine-PAMAM. Amine- and lipid-PAMAM were both able to cross the BBB and differently induced CD11b and CCR2 overexpression on primary CX3CR1-GFP murine microglia in vitro. These data emphasise the role of dendrimer surface functionalisation in toxicity and neural immune cell activation, raising concerns about possible neuroinflammatory reactions.
%A Alice Bertero
%A Adriano Boni
%A Mauro Gemmi
%A Mariacristina Gagliardi
%A Angelo Bifone
%A Giuseppe Bardi
%K Neuroinflammation; Glia; endothelial cells; polymer functionalisation; in vitro
%V 8
%I Taylor & Francis
%T Surface functionalisation regulates polyamidoamine dendrimer toxicity on blood?brain barrier cells and the modulation of key inflammatory receptors on microglia
%P 158-168