Nanomechanical IR spectroscopy for fast analysis of liquid-dispersed engineered nanomaterials

AbstractThe proliferated use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), e.g. in nanomedicine, calls for novel techniques allowing for fast and sensitive analysis of minute samples. Here we present nanomechanical IR spectroscopy (NAM-IR) for chemical analysis of picograms of ENMs. ENMs are nebulized directly from dispersion and efficiently collected on nanomechanical string resonators through a non-diffusion limited sampling method. Even very small amounts of sample can convert absorbed IR light into a measurable frequency detuning of the string through photothermal heating. An IR absorption spectrum is thus readily obtained by recording this detuning of the resonator over a range of IR wavelengths. Results recorded using NAM-IR agree well with corresponding results obtained through ATR-FTIR, and remarkably, measurement including sample preparation takes only a few minutes, compared to ∼2 days sample preparation for ATR-FTIR. Resonator dimensions play an important role in NAM-IR, a relationship which will be elaborated here

Complement: Alive and Kicking Nanomedicines

Administration of liposome- and polymer-based clinical nanomedicines, as well as many other proposed multifunctional nanoparticles, often triggers hypersensitivity reactions without the involvement of IgE. These anaphylactic reactions are believed to be secondary to activation of the complement system, giving rise to the release of anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a that initiate a wide array of responses through their effect on mast cells, polymorphonuclear cells, platelets and monocytes. Additionally, the terminal complement C5b-9 complex induces platelet activation, thereby enhancing their procoagulant activity, and has the capacity to elicit non-lytic stimulatory responses from vascular endothelial cells. Here we discuss the molecular basis of complement activation by liposomes, including poly(ethylene glycol) coated vesicles, and other related lipid-based and phospholipidpoly(ethylene glycol) conjugate stabilized entities. We have further considered the role of these complement activating entities in experimental oncology since intra-tumoural complement activation is suggested to induce tumour growth and progression

Complement activation by PEG-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes is independent of PEG molecular mass and surface density

Carboxylated (4%) multi-walled carbon nanotubes were covalently functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol)1000 (PEG1000), PEG1500 and PEG4000 with a PEG loading of approximately 11% in all cases. PEG loading generated non-uniform and heterogeneous higher surface structures and increased nanotube width considerably, but all PEGylated nanotube species activated the complement system in human serum equally. Increased PEG loading, through adsorption of methoxyPEG2000(or 5000)-phospholipid conjugates, generated fewer complement activation products; however, complement activation was never completely eliminated. Our observations address the difficulty in making carbon nanotubes more compatible with innate immunity through covalent PEG functionalization as well as double PEGylation strategies