Fig. 9

PNPs binding and internalization inside macrophages after complement activation. PMA-stimulated THP-1 cells were incubated with HS- or HP-PNPs for 1 h. Confocal microscopy images were acquired (A) and the amount of fluorescence was quantified with Fiji software (B). To assess PNPs internalization inside cells, drugs-loaded PNPs were incubated for 1 h with human macrophages. Unbound PNPs were removed from cells and the percentage of dying cells was quantified by MTT assay (C). Data are represented as mean ± SEM; n = 3. Statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA test. * p-value < 0.05; ** p-value < 0.01. uPNPs: untargeted nanoparticles; tPNPs: targeted nanoparticles; HS: human serum; HP: human plasma