Glutathione reduces cytotoxicity of polyethyleneimine coated magnetic nanoparticles in CHO cells

- PEI NPs induce toxicity, ROS production and glutathione depletion in Chinese hamster ovary cells.
- Cytotoxicity is reduced by adding glutathione to the nanoparticle-synthesis procedure.
- Glutathione added to the cell culture media does not have the same effect.

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) is a polycationic compound frequently used as a transfection agent. However, cytotoxicity of PEI and PEI-coated nanoparticles (PEI NPs) is still a major obstacle in its use. In this study we report a method for reducing cytotoxicity of PEI NPs by addition of glutathione in NPs synthesis. Glutathione reduced cytotoxic effects for at least 30% and decreased observed oxidative stress response compared to standard formulation. Results showed that the effect was partially due to reduced zeta potential and partially due to protective antioxidant properties of glutathione. Addition of glutathione to cell culture media with concurrent exposure to PEI NPs proved to be insufficient for cytotoxicity reduction. Additionally, we compared internalization pathways of both PEI NPs and GSH NPs. NPs were only found in endosomes and no NPs were found free in the cytosol, as would be expected according to so called proton sponge hypothesis.