Intracellular trafficking of solid lipid nanoparticles and their distribution between cells through tunneling nanotubes

The intracellular fate of nanosized drug delivery systems is still not well understood. Various internalization pathways have been discovered, but knowledge of their intracellular trafficking is still incomplete. The aim of this study was to examine the internalization, pathways, and positioning taken by solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) in cells. SLNs were fluorescence labeled with a newly synthesized fluorescent probe, 14-DACA. The probe was strongly incorporated into the nanoparticle core under the influence of its long lipophilic chain, enabling superior visualization of SLNs under complex and dynamic intracellular conditions. The intracellular distribution of SLNs was studied qualitatively using a co-localization technique and quantitatively using fluorescence intensity profiles. SLNs were seen inside the cells as distinct bright blue dots that underwent dynamic movement and were finally positioned in the proximity of the nucleus. A few SLNs were shown to be present in mitochondria and between actin filaments, but none in the cell nucleus or lysosomes. SLNs are here reported to be present in tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which could be a new route of SLN transfer between cells. More TNTs were observed in cells treated with SLNs. The presence of TNTs was additionally confirmed by atomic force microscopy analysis, which indicated that treated cells were more rough than control cells. Detailed investigation of the subcellular localization of SLNs and the evidence for their transfer and distribution via TNTs to the cells, which are not in direct contact with the source of SLNs, are important for understanding the mechanism of targeted drug delivery. Understanding the possible intercellular distribution of SLNs via TNTs can significantly influence approaches to treating organelle-specific diseases. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.