Delivery of Molecules into Human Corneal Endothelial Cells by Carbon Nanoparticles Activated by Femtosecond Laser

PLoS One. 2015 Jul 2;10(7):e0132023. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132023. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Corneal endothelial cells (CECs) form a monolayer at the innermost face of the cornea and are the engine of corneal transparency. Nevertheless, they are a vulnerable population incapable of regeneration in humans, and their diseases are responsible for one third of corneal grafts performed worldwide. Donor corneas are stored in eye banks for security and quality controls, then delivered to surgeons. This period could allow specific interventions to modify the characteristics of CECs in order to increase their proliferative capacity, increase their resistance to apoptosis, or release immunosuppressive molecules. Delivery of molecules specifically into CECs during storage would therefore open up new therapeutic perspectives. For clinical applications, physical methods have a more favorable individual and general benefit/risk ratio than most biological vectors, but are often less efficient. The delivery of molecules into cells by carbon nanoparticles activated by femtosecond laser pulses is a promising recent technique developed on non-adherent cells. The nanoparticles are partly consummated by the reaction releasing CO and H2 gas bubbles responsible for the shockwave at the origin of cell transient permeation. Our aim was to develop an experimental setting to deliver a small molecule (calcein) into the monolayer of adherent CECs. We confirmed that increased laser fluence and time exposure increased uptake efficiency while keeping cell mortality below 5%. We optimized the area covered by the laser beam by using a motorized stage allowing homogeneous scanning of the cell culture surface using a spiral path. Calcein uptake reached median efficiency of 54.5% (range 50.3-57.3) of CECs with low mortality (0.5%, range (0.55-1.0)). After sorting by flow cytometry, CECs having uptaken calcein remained viable and presented normal morphological characteristics. Delivery of molecules into CECs by carbon nanoparticles activated by femtosecond laser could prove useful for future cell or tissue therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbon / administration & dosage
  • Carbon / radiation effects*
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Cell Membrane Permeability
  • Drug Administration Routes
  • Endothelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Endothelium, Corneal / cytology*
  • Fluoresceins / administration & dosage*
  • Fluoresceins / pharmacology
  • Fluorescent Dyes / administration & dosage*
  • High-Energy Shock Waves*
  • Humans
  • Lasers*
  • Microbubbles
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
  • Nanoparticles / radiation effects
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Fluoresceins
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Carbon
  • fluorexon

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Fédération des Aveugles de France 2012, Jean Monnet University (appel à projet 2012), the Fondation de l’Avenir ET7-468, and by the Equipex MANUTECH-USD (ANR-10-EQPX-36-01) of the Communauté d’universités et établissements (Comue) de Lyon Saint-Etienne, operated by the French National Research Agency (ANR). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.