20.500.12556/DiRROS-24502 Llimited efficacy of nanoparticle-assisted electroporation for membrane permeabilization and gene electrotransfer Nanoparticles (NPs) were previously explored as enhancers in electroporation due to their potential to locally amplify electric fields near cell mem branes, with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in particular showing promise in improving membrane permeability and gene electrotransfer (GET). In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of NP properties—including size, shape, surface functionaliza tion, and material—on electroporation efficacy. Methods: A combined approach using theoretical modeling and experimental validation was employed, encompassing numerical simulations, membrane permeabilization assays, transmission electron microscopy Numerical results revealed that the presence of NPs alters local electric field distributions, but the amplification is highly localized, regardless of NPconductivity or geometry. Experimentally, only two out of six tested NP types produced a statistically significant, yet modest, increase in membrane permeability at one electric f ield intensity. Similarly, GET improvement was observed with only one NP type, with no dependence on concentration or functionalization. Conclusions: Overall, our findings demonstrate that NPs, under tested conditions, do not substantially enhance cell membrane permeability or GET efficacy. These conclusions are supported by both computational modeling and in vitro experiments nanodelci numerični model elektro tansfer true false true MDPI Švica Angleški jezik Ni določen © 2025 by the authors. Neznano 2025-12-02 15:20:03 2025-12-02 15:20:04 2025-12-03 03:42:21 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2025 0 0 str. 1-19 Art. 964 Vol. 17 2025 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 2025-06-17 2025-07-19 2025-07-25 536 1999-4923 10.3390/pharmaceutics17080964 244309507 RAZ_Polajzer_Tamara_2025.pdf RAZ_Polajzer_Tamara_2025.pdf 1 D9A73E35F5797BB573237A033524E353 e63391820863bb6363900e5a5c00fae02ea02c62ae39f236b459a5bed8d86892 7e282842-cf8a-11f0-94a7-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=36518 Institut Jožef Stefan 0 0 0