Abstract:
Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for antimicrobial and chemotherapeutic
applications is a well-established process in microbial hosts such as bacterial, fungi,
and plants. However, reports on AuNPs biosynthesis in mammalian cells are scarce.
In this study, bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) and bovine aortic smooth muscle
cells (BASMCs) were examined for their ability to synthesize AuNPs in vitro. Cell culture
conditions such as buffer selection, serum concentration, and HAuCl4 concentration
were optimized before the biosynthesized AuNPs were characterized through visible
spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform
infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. BAECs and BASMC produced small, spherical AuNPs
that are semi-crystalline with a similar diameter (23 ± 2 nm and 23 ± 4 nm). Hydrogen
peroxide pretreatment increased AuNPs synthesis, suggesting that antioxidant enzymes
may reduce Au3+ ions as seen in microbial cells. However, buthionine sulfoximine
inhibition of glutathione synthesis, a key regulator of oxidative stress, failed to affect
AuNPs generation. Taken together, these results show that under the right synthesis
conditions, non-tumor cell lines can produce detectable concentrations of AuNPs
in vitro.