Nanomaterials and cell membrane interaction: understanding the molecular interaction phenomena

• Grant number: 13/14400-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: August 01, 2013
• End date: December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Valtencir Zucolotto
• Grantee: Juliana Cancino Bernardi
• Supervisor: Kenneth Dawson
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University College Dublin, Ireland
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/03570-0 - Nanomaterials applied to nanomedicine: development of membrane models and in vitro studies for evaluation the toxicity., BP.PD

Abstract

Understanding the binding and exchange behavior of nanomaterials interacting with cells is a challenge. As example, several indirect methods (as uptake and life cycle) are available for the determination of such phenomena. However, in some cases, these methods exhibit limited sensitivity or selectivity. Knowing that nanoparticle "see" the cell membrane in their first contact with cells, the aim of this study is to elucidate the nanoparticle interaction with the cell membrane (cell membranes with natural lipids and proteins extracted from different cell lines) at the molecular level. In this case, cell membranes will be isolated by ultracentrifugal sedimentation and the interaction with cationic and anionic nanoparticles (fluorescently labeled) will be observed by confocal fluorescence, isotherm titration calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy and/or flow cytometry. (AU)