Sparking angiogenesis by carbon monoxide-rich gold nanoparticles obtained by pulsed laser driven CO2 reduction reaction
Endothelial tissue regeneration is a major challenge in the context of vascular disorders and tissue repair. One of the most recent and promising therapies for endothelial tissue disorders is the administration of carbon monoxide (CO) by direct injection or release by CO-releasing molecules (CORMs). Despite the great potential of CORMs, light instability and cytotoxicity associated with the heavy metal core are still major drawbacks that inhibit clinical application. Recently, we have shown the possibility to synthesize carbon monoxide rich gold nanoparticles (CO-rich AuNPs) by the pulsed laser driven CO<sub>2</sub> reduction reaction in water. In this work, we investigate the potential of this unique metal-organic complex as a therapeutic approach to promote endothelial tissue regeneration, by performing a comparative analysis between the CO releasing potential of CO-rich AuNPs and a well-known CO-releasing molecule, specifically CORM-2. Through a combination of in vitro and in vivo experiments, we elucidated the mechanisms by which the laser synthesized ligand-free or CO-rich AuNPs inhibit or enhance, respectively, the endothelial cell migration and angiogenesis. Notably, the biocompatible CO-rich AuNPs not only boost these cellular processes but also play a pivotal role in triggering histone acetylation, shedding light on an additional regulatory pathway.
Authors
- Tatiana Dillenburg Saint’Pierre (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7619-5620)
- Anna Laurenzana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8745-3808)
- Daniele Guasti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2856-6829)
- Guilherme C. Concas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0797-7303)
- Elena Frediani
- Francesca Margheri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7122-6574)
- Tahir Tahir
- Francesca Scavone
- Tommaso Del Rosso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0600-4139)
- N. Daldosso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5578-4223)
- Ricardo Q. Aucélio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2476-9936)
- M. Cremona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1306-4639)
- Serena Martinelli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4992-2252)
- Mirko Severi
- Cecilia Anceschi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2065-1540)
- Jessica Ruzzolini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2159-9847)
- Mario Del Rosso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2980-2731)
- Mariana Gisbert (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2085-9798)
- Gabriella Fibbi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0629-851X)
- Rita Traversi
- Anastasia Chillà (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2130-8309)
- F.L. Freire (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4067-2878)
- Danièle Bani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6302-901X)
- André L. Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9920-4411)
- Celso Sant’Anna
Institutions
- University of Verona (IT)
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (BR)
- Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia (BR)
- Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas (BR)
- University of Florence (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Nanobiotechnology
- Published
- 2025-08-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-025-03680-9
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Heme Oxygenase-1 and Carbon Monoxide
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.42
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
- Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro
- Regione Toscana