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Influence of dendrimers on red blood cells

Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters volume 17, pages 21–35 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Dendrimers, highly branched macromolecules with a specific size and shape, provide many exciting opportunities for biomedical applications. However, most dendrimers demonstrate toxic and haemolytic activity because of their positively charged surface. Masking the peripheral cationic groups by coating them with biocompatible molecules is a method to reduce it. It was proven that modified dendrimers can even diminish haemolytic activity of encapsulated drugs. Experiments confirmed that anionic dendrimers are less haemotoxic than cationic ones. Due to the high affinity of dendrimers for serum proteins, presence of these components in an incubation buffer might also influence red blood cell (RBC)-dendrimer interactions and decrease the haemolysis level. Generally, haemotoxicity of dendrimers is concentration-, generation-, and time-dependent. Various changes in the RBCs’ shape in response to interactions with dendrimers have been observed, from echinocytic transformations through cell aggregation to cluster formation, depending on the dendrimer’s type and concentration. Understanding the physical and chemical origins of dendrimers’ influences on RBCs might advance scientists’ ability to construct dendrimers more suitable for medical applications.

Abbreviations

AFM:

atomic force microscopy

CSi:

carbosilane dendrimers

DOX:

doxorubicin

FA:

folic acid

HSA:

human serum albumin

MRI:

magnetic resonance imaging

PAD-PPI:

dextran conjugated PPI dendrimers

PAMAM:

polyamidoamine dendrimers

PEG:

poly(ethylene glycol)

PEO:

poly(ethylene oxide)

PPI:

poly(propyleneimine) dendrimers

PPI-DAB:

PPI dendrimers with diaminobutane core

PPI-DAE:

PPI dendrimers with diaminoethane core

RBCs:

red blood cells

Rms:

AFM roughness values

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Biophysics, University of Łódź, 141/143 Pomorska St., 90-236, Łódź, Poland

    Barbara Ziemba, Gabriela Matuszko, Maria Bryszewska & Barbara Klajnert

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  1. Barbara Ziemba
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  2. Gabriela Matuszko
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  3. Maria Bryszewska
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  4. Barbara Klajnert
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Correspondence to Barbara Ziemba.

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Paper authored by participants of the international conference: 18th Meeting, European Association for Red Cell Research, Wrocław — Piechowice, Poland, May 12–15th, 2011. Publication cost was covered by the organizers of this meeting.

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Ziemba, B., Matuszko, G., Bryszewska, M. et al. Influence of dendrimers on red blood cells. Cell Mol Biol Lett 17, 21–35 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11658-011-0033-9

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Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters

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