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Abstract
The interaction between nanoparticles (NPs) and cells has been studied extensively,
but the effect of particle shape on cell behavior has received little attention. Herein
three different shaped monodisperse mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) of similar
particle diameter, chemical composition and surface charge but with different aspect
ratios (ARs, 1, 2, 4) were specially designed. Then the effects of particle shape
of these three different shaped particles on cellular uptake and behavior were studied.
The results indicated that these different shaped particles were readily internalized
in A375 human melanoma (A375) cells by nonspecific cellular uptake. Particles with
larger ARs were taken up in larger amounts and had faster internalization rates. Likewise,
it was also found that particles with larger ARs had a greater impact on different
aspects of cellular function including cell proliferation, apoptosis, cytoskeleton
formation, adhesion and migration. These results show that nanoparticles should no
longer be viewed as simple carriers for biomedical applications, but can also play
an active role in mediating biological effects. Therefore, our findings may provide
useful information for the development of new strategies for the design of efficient
drug delivery nanocarriers and therapeutic systems and provide insights into nanotoxicity.