Characterization of Nanoparticle Intestinal Transport Using an In Vitro Co-Culture Model
1
University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
2
Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 86 Rebreanu, 310414 Arad, Romania
3
Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 1 Feleacului, 310396 Arad, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9010005
Received: 19 November 2018 / Revised: 15 December 2018 / Accepted: 17 December 2018 / Published: 21 December 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 1st International Online Conference on Nanomaterials)
We aimed to obtain a tunable intestinal model and study the transport of different types of nanoparticles. Caco-2/HT29-MTX co-cultures of different seeding ratios (7:3 and 5:5), cultured on Transwell® systems, were exposed to non-cytotoxic concentration levels (20 μg/mL) of silicon quantum dots and iron oxide (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles. Transepithelial electric resistance was measured before and after exposure, and permeability was assessed via the paracellular marker Lucifer Yellow. At regular intervals during the 3 h transport study, samples were collected from the basolateral compartments for the detection and quantitative testing of nanoparticles. Cell morphology characterization was done using phalloidin-FITC/DAPI labeling, and Alcian Blue/eosin staining was performed on insert cross-sections in order to compare the intestinal models and evaluate the production of mucins. Morphological alterations of the Caco-2/HT29-MTX (7:3 ratio) co-cultures were observed at the end of the transport study compared with the controls. The nanoparticle suspensions tested did not diffuse across the intestinal model and were not detected in the receiving compartments, probably due to their tendency to precipitate at the monolayer surface level and form visible aggregates. These preliminary results indicate the need for further nanoparticle functionalization in order to appropriately assess intestinal absorption in vitro.
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Keywords:
co-culture intestinal model; Caco-2; HT29-MTX; nanoparticle transport; quantum dots; iron oxide nanoparticles
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MDPI and ACS Style
Strugari, A.F.; Stan, M.S.; Gharbia, S.; Hermenean, A.; Dinischiotu, A. Characterization of Nanoparticle Intestinal Transport Using an In Vitro Co-Culture Model. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 5.
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