Modulation of endocytosis, exocytosis, and autophagy by polymeric nanoparticles

Autor/a

Suñer Santandreu, Francisca

Abstract

Nanomedicine is a discipline that is receiving increasing importance for the scientific community, but in which there is still a considerable distance between research and the clinic. Thus, many of the promising advances in diagnosis and treatment do not reach patients, generally due to a lack of safety or efficacy compared to traditional treatments. Many times, the lack of knowledge of what happens in cells once they come into contact with nanoparticles is what is lacking in their design.
This work aims to contribute to the search for the effects that nanoparticles have once they come into contact with the cell by studying endocytosis, exocytosis and autophagy markers. That is, what differences exist between the main markers of the pathways studied after being incubated with the nanoparticles.
To carry out this study, an initial characterization of the nanoparticles in which we want to work is made, determining the size, charge and polydispersity index, through the use of DLS. Next, a study is made of the transfection levels of each nanoparticle in different states (fresh and lyophilized) in the cervical and lung cancer cell lines. Afterwards, a qualitative study is made through the use of various antibodies to be able to observe the markers of the different routes and it is observed by confocal microscopy. Finally, a quantitative study is carried out using the western blot technique to determine the amount of protein present. With the work, it is concluded that polymeric nanoparticles actually modify cell metabolism in different ways depending on the polymer used. This is a first study that opens the door to the use of polymeric nanoparticles for the modulation of cellular processes such as endocytosis, exocytosis and autophagy.

 

Director/a

Borrós i Gómez, Salvador 
Fornaguera Puigvert, Cristina  

Degree

IQS SE - Undergraduate Program in Biotechnology

Date

2020-09-08