| Abstract | Capping of lanthanide-based nanoparticles with Gum Arabic improved their dispersibility in biologically relevant media, chemical as well as optical stability, and biocompatibility towards cells and zebrafish. Specifically, Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped NaGdF₄ Ln-NPs were modified with GA, followed by their characterization with respect to upconversion properties and in vitro as well as in vivo toxicity. Herein, widely used ligand-free and polyacrylic acid (PAA)-capped Ln-NPs were used as reference materials. Importantly, the GA-modified Ln-NPs exhibited superior stability in aqueous and biologically relevant media, as well as relatively lower cytotoxicity across multiple cell lines, including U-87 MG, HEPG2, and J774A.1. In vivo studies using zebrafish embryos confirmed the minimal toxicity of GA-capped Ln-NPs. Despite overall low non-specific cellular uptake, hyperspectral imaging and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry confirmed the colocalization of the Ln-NPs as a function of their surface chemistry in both cell models and zebrafish. The results suggest GA as an effective surface-stabilizing agent for Ln-NPs, paving the way for future functionalization with targeting agents. |
|---|
