Liposome impaired the adhesion and spreading of HEK293 cells: an AFM study.

Gene transfer has been proven to be a promising approach for treatment of several diseases. The cytotoxicity of transfection reagents is one of the key factors for clinical applications. The cytotoxicity of liposome has been extensively studied. However, its effects on the adhesion and spreading of transformed cells are still unclear. In this study, the cytotoxic effects of liposome on cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential of HEK293 cells were first evaluated. Then, an atomic force microscope (AFM) was recruited to investigate the effects of liposome on the adhesion and spreading of HEK293 cells. AFM data indicated that liposome induced a significant decrease in number of cellular pseudopodia and cell-surface particles, in cell-surface roughness, and in average adhesion force of cell membranes. The AFM data implied that liposome impaired the adhesion and spreading of HEK293 cells.