Biocompatibility, uptake and endocytosis pathways of polystyrene nanoparticles in primary human renal epithelial cells

• Polystyrene nanoparticles (44 nm) are able to enter human primary renal epithelial cells.
• Biocompatibility of nanoparticles has been demonstrated.
• Internalization of nanoparticles in tested cells is mediated by energy-dependent and independent mechanisms.

Recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the number of applications – such as drug delivery, nutraceuticals and production of improved biocompatible materials – in the areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are an important tool for the development of quite a few of these applications. Despite intense research activity, mechanisms regulating the uptake of NPs into cells are not completely defined, being the phenomenon dramatically influenced by physico-chemical properties of NPs and cell-specific differences. Since the cellular uptake of NPs is a prerequisite for their use in nanomedicine, the definition of their internalization pathway is crucial. For this reason, we used 44 nm polystyrene NPs as a model to analyze the uptake and endocytosis pathways in primary human renal cortical epithelial (HRCE) cells, which play a key role in the clearance of drugs. NPs were found not to affect the viability and cell cycle progression of HRCE cells. Distinct internalization pathways were analyzed by the use of drugs known to inhibit specific endocytosis routes. Analyses, performed by confocal microscopy in combination with quantitative spectrofluorimetric assays, indicated that NPs enter HRCE cells through multiple mechanisms, either energy-dependent (endocytosis) or energy-independent.