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 CO2 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.