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Tissue Engineering

Tissue Engineering - Poster Session E

Poster L6 - The Effect of Gold Nanoparticles on the Intracellular Uptake and Cytotoxicity in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Saturday, October 26, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Kahlea Hsu

    Undergraduate Student
    University of New Haven
    West Haven, Connecticut, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Madison Marino

    Student
    University of New Haven, United States

  • SW

    Shue Wang (she/her/hers)

    Assistant Professor
    University of New Haven
    West Haven, Connecticut, United States


Introduction:  Bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their self-renewal capabilities play an important role in the biomedical field of regenerative medicine. Nanoparticles, specifically gold particles, have been a prevalent field of interest when researching drug delivery, cancer treatment, and gene delivery.1 The current issue involving nanoparticles is regarding their cytotoxic effects on the viability of cells. In one study, Zhao et. al demonstrated the cytotoxic effects and morphogenesis of gold nanoparticles in breast cancer cells.2 Here, we studied the effects of gold nanoparticles on intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity.

Materials and

Methods:  Bone-derived human mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in “MSCBM” with FBS and 1xPBS. The medium was changed every 3 days. Cells were placed in a humid incubator at 37ºC with 5% CO2. Three experiments were performed. The first experiment observed the effect of gold nanorods on the cell viability over 5 days. Cells were passaged into 18 wells of a 96-well plate. After 24 hours, half of the wells were treated with gold nanorods with a concentration of 10 µg/mL. Reading absorbance was done on Days 1, 3, and 5 by removing MSCBM from a control group and a treatment group, using cck-8 assay. After 4 hours, the absorbances were read with a microplate reader. The presence of higher readings indicated a higher cell viability rate. The second experiment seeded 12 wells in a 96-well plate. The wells were treated with nanoparticles of varying diameters; 10µm, 20µm, and 50 µm. After 7 days, the same absorbance procedure was completed.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: Figure A shows the comparison of the average readings of control wells and treatment wells taken on Days 1, 3, and 5. Figure B shows the comparison of the average readings of control wells and treatment wells with 10 nm, 20 nm, and 50 nm diameter nanoparticles after 7 days of incubation. Gold nanoparticles enhance the cells’ viability over time. Experiment 1, in regards to gold nanorods, displayed a positive cell viability in the NP treated cells over the period of 5 days. Experiment 2 displayed that the 10 nm gold nanoparticles had a positive effect on cell viability as compared to the control, 20 nm, and 50 nm. All nanoparticles, however, did have increased cell viability as compared to the control.

Acknowledgements (Optional):  Thank you to the University of New Haven and Dr. Shue Wang for the funds and grants to further the research on stem cells and nanoparticles