Time resolved study of cell death mechanisms induced by amine-modified polystyrene nanoparticles

• DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03249c
• Publication Date: 2013-10-10T00:19:23Z
• Authors: Fengjuan Wang; Mariana G. Bexiga; Sergio Anguissola; Patricia Boya; Jeremy C. Simpson; Anna Salvati; Kenneth A. Dawson
• Keywords: Polystyrene

Positively charged polymers and nanoparticles (NPs) can be toxic to cells in various systems. Using human astrocytoma cells, we have previously shown that 50 nm amine-modified polystyrene NPs damage mitochondria induce cell death by apoptosis. Here provide comprehensive details of the cellular events occurring after exposure a time-resolved manner. We demonstrate accumulation lysosomes plays central role observed death, leading swelling release cathepsins into cytosol, which ultimately propagates with subsequent activation This is accompanied sustained other events, such as increasing ROS levels autophagy. inhibitors, also show interplay between apoptosis autophagy response NP lysosomes.