EVALUATION OF THE MODULATION OF THE MICROBICIDAL AND TUMORICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF NEUTROPHILS AFTER CONTACT WITH GOLD NANOPARTICLES COATED WITH SILICA (AuSHINs)

• Grant number: 24/03513-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Karina Alves de Toledo
• Grantee: Karina Alves de Toledo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Pedro Henrique Benites Aoki ; Sabrina Aléssio Camacho

Abstract

Cancer and infectious diseases present complex and limited treatments, which, despite advances in research, continue to cause thousands of victims worldwide. The use of gold nanoparticles (NPOs) presents itself as an alternative to conventional treatments, but their aggregation in biological fluids has still been a major obstacle to their biomedical application. Our group demonstrated that coating NPOs with silica (AuSHINs) prevents the aggregation of these nanostructures. Other groups have also demonstrated that the ultrathin silica layer allows the nanoparticles to adapt to different substrate contours and reduces direct contact of cells with gold, thus reducing their cytotoxicity. Thus, AuSHINs constitute a new generation of nanoparticles, more versatile and adaptable to different application contexts, especially in clinical therapies. In this scenario, it is necessary to understand how AuSHINs interact with the immune system. The interaction between nanoparticles and immune cells, particularly neutrophils, has been the subject of great interest. Neutrophils act (or can act) in the transport of these nanostructures to the target tissue, in order to increase their efficiency. They are first-line defense cells, known for their microbicidal, tumoricidal and inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study is to investigate the interaction of AuSHINs with neutrophils, and the biological outcomes of this interaction on the microbicidal and tumoricidal activities of these cells. To this end, different neutrophil activities will be evaluated in vitro and in vivo after contact with AuSHINs: viability, degranulation, kinase activation, migration, NET release, ROS and cytokine generation, phagocytosis, and antitumor activity. We understand and hope that the results generated by this work will impact the understanding of the interaction of AuSHINs with cells of the immune system, contributing to the advancement, innovation and real application of future therapies that are safe for patients. (AU)