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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292630
Title: The cellular uptake and transport of zein nanoparticles: Effect of sodium caseinate

Author
item LUO, YANGCHAO - University Of Maryland
item TENG, ZI - University Of Maryland
item Wang, Thomas - Tom
item WANG, QIN - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2013
Publication Date: 8/7/2013
Citation: Luo, Y., Teng, Z., Wang, T.T., Wang, Q. 2013. The cellular uptake and transport of zein nanoparticles: Effect of sodium caseinate. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 61(31):7621-9.

Interpretive Summary: Nanoaprticle encapsulation allows for increased bioavailability and stability of compounds to be delivered into cells. Cellular evaluation of zein nanoparticles has not been studied systematically due to their poor redispersibility. Caseinate (CAS) stabilized zein nanoparticles have been recently developed with better redispersibility in salt solutions. In this study, zein-CAS nanoparticles were prepared with different zein/CAS mass ratios. The prepared nanoparticles demonstrated good stabilities to maintain particle size (120-140 nm) in cell culture medium and HBSS buffer at 37°C. The nanoparticles showed no cytoxicity for Caco-2 cells for 72 h. CAS not only significantly enhanced cell uptake of zein nanoparticles in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, but also remarkably improved epithelial transport through Caco-2 cells monolayer. The cell uptake of zein-CAS nanoparticles indicated an energy dependent endocytosis process as evidenced by cell uptake under blocking conditions, i.e. 4°C, sodium azide and colchicine. The fluorescent microscopy clearly showed the internalization of zein-CAS nanoparticles. This study may shed some light on the cellular evaluations of hydrophobic protein nanoparticles. This work will benefit basic, as well as translational research science considering using nanoparticles as delivery system.

Technical Abstract: Cellular evaluation of zein nanoparticles has not been studied systematically due to their poor redispersibility. Caseinate (CAS) stabilized zein nanoparticles have been recently developed with better redispersibility in salt solutions. In this study, zein-CAS nanoparticles were prepared with different zein/CAS mass ratios. The prepared nanoparticles demonstrated good stabilities to maintain particle size (120-140 nm) in cell culture medium and HBSS buffer at 37°C. The nanoparticles showed no cytoxicity for Caco-2 cells for 72 h. CAS not only significantly enhanced cell uptake of zein nanoparticles in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, but also remarkably improved epithelial transport through Caco-2 cells monolayer. The cell uptake of zein-CAS nanoparticles indicated an energy dependent endocytosis process as evidenced by cell uptake under blocking conditions, i.e. 4°C, sodium azide and colchicine. The fluorescent microscopy clearly showed the internalization of zein-CAS nanoparticles. This study may shed some light on the cellular evaluations of hydrophobic protein nanoparticles.