Research
ATP driven clathrin dependent entry of carbon nanospheres prefer cells with glucose receptors
- † Equal contributors
1 Transcription and Disease Laboratory, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur P.O, Bangalore, 560 064, India
2 Chemistry and Physics of Materials Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur P.O, Bangalore, 560 064, India
3 Confocal Facility, Molecular Biology and Genetics Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Jakkur, Bangalore, 560 064, India
Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2012, 10:35 doi:10.1186/1477-3155-10-35
Published: 2 August 2012Abstract
Background
Intrinsically fluorescent glucose derived carbon nanospheres (CSP) efficiently enter mammalian cells and also cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). However, the mechanistic details of CSP entry inside mammalian cells and its specificity are not known.
Results
In this report, the biochemical and cellular mechanism of CSP entry into the living cell have been investigated. By employing confocal imaging we show that CSP entry into the mammalian cells is an ATP-dependent clathrin mediated endocytosis process. Zeta potential studies suggest that it has a strong preference for cells which possess high levels of glucose transporters such as the glial cells, thereby enabling it to target individual organs/tissues such as the brain with increased specificity.
Conclusion
The endocytosis of Glucose derived CSP into mammalian cells is an ATP dependent process mediated by clathrin coated pits. CSPs utilize the surface functional groups to target cells containing glucose transporters on its membrane thereby implicating a potential application for specific targeting of the brain or cancer cells.
