Role of cytoskeletal mechanics and cell membrane fluidity in the intracellular delivery of molecules mediated by laser‐activated carbon nanoparticles

Abstract

Exposure of cells and nanoparticles to near‐infrared nanosecond pulsed laser light can lead to efficient intracellular delivery of molecules while maintaining high cell viability by a photoacoustic phenomenon known as transient nanoparticle energy transduction (TNET). Here, we examined the influence of cytoskeletal mechanics and plasma membrane fluidity on intracellular uptake of molecules and loss of cell viability due to TNET. We found that destabilization of actin filaments using latrunculin A led to greater uptake of molecules and less viability loss caused by TNET. Stabilization of actin filaments using jasplakinolide had no significant effect on uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. To study the role of plasma membrane fluidity, we increased fluidity by depletion of membrane cholesterol using methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and decreased fluidity by enrichment of the membrane with cholesterol using water‐soluble cholesterol. Neither of these membrane fluidity changes significantly altered cellular uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. We conclude that weakening mechanical integrity of the cytoskeleton can increase intracellular uptake and decrease loss of cell viability, while plasma membrane fluidity does not appear to play a significant role in uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. The positive effects of cytoskeletal weakening may be due to an enhanced ability of the cell to recover from the effects of TNET and maintain viability. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2390–2399. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jul 11, 2017
Source ID
10.1002/bit.26355

Entities

People

  • Caleb F. Anderson
  • Mark R. Prausnitz
  • Naresh N. Thadhani
  • Stefany Y Holguin

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • Georgia Tech
  • National Science Foundation

Tags

Readers

  • Cellular and Molecular Pathways of Apoptosis.
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science
  • Riverine Ecology

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Cancer Biotech
  • Directed Energy