Blood protein adsorption and compatibility studies of gold nanoparticles

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles are considered to be real jewels. The significant growth of their application for labeling, delivery, heating, and sensing shows their significance in biology and/or life sciences. PEGylated gold nanoparticles also have significant application in drug and gene delivery. However, comprehensive information on the compatibility of these nanoparticles to blood is limited in literature. An attempt has been made to study the protein adsorption, blood cell aggregation, and C3 adsorption onto these particles to evaluate its complement activation potential and blood compatibility. It has been observed that these nanoparticles do not induce any complement activation or blood cell aggregation. Particles were non-hemolytic and the adsorptions of proteins were negligible which further validates its significance in drug delivery and gene delivery applications. © The Author(s) 2011.