Abstract
To investigate effect of metallic nanoparticles, silver (AgNPs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as antitumor treatment in vitro against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and their associated mechanisms. This could provide new class of engineered nanoparticles with desired physicochemical properties and may present newer approaches for therapeutic modalities to breast cancer in women. A human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) was used as a model of cells. Metallic nanoparticles were characterized using UV-visible spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cytotoxic effects of metallic nanoparticles on MCF-7 cells were followed by colorimetric SRB cell viability assays, microscopy, and cellular uptake. Nature of cell death was further investigated by DNA analysis and flow cytometry. Treatment of MCF-7 with different concentrations of 5-10nm diameter of AgNPs inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of 6.28μM, whereas treatment of MCF-7 with different concentrations of 13-15nm diameter of AuNPs inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with IC50 value of 14.48μM. Treatment of cells with a IC50 concentration of AgNPs generated progressive accumulation of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle and prevented entry into the M phase. The treatment of cells with IC50 concentrations of AuNPs similarly generated progressive accumulation of cells in sub-G1 and S phase, and inhibited the entrance of cells into the M phase of the cell cycle. DNA fragmentation, as demonstrated by electrophoresis, indicated induction of apoptosis. Our engineered silver nanoparticles effectively inhibit the proliferation of human breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7 in vitro at high concentration (1000 μM) through apoptotic mechanisms, and may be a beneficial agent against human carcinoma but further detailed study is still needed.
Highlights
Metallic nanoparticles have been reported to elicit potent toxic effects and anti-proliferative activity against various tumors (Daduang et al, 2015)
To stain with propidium iodide (PI), cells were sedimented by centrifugation, the ethanol was removed and cells washed once with PBS
The cell pellets were resuspended in 1ml of PI/Triton X-100 staining solution (0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS, 0.2 mg/ml RNase A, and10mg/ml PI) and incubated for 30minutes at room temperature
Summary
Metallic nanoparticles (silver and gold) have been reported to elicit potent toxic effects and anti-proliferative activity against various tumors (Daduang et al, 2015). Nanoscale materials have emerged as a novel plateform in cancer nanotechnology due to their high surface area to volume ratio and their unique physico-chemical properties (Kang et al, 2012). Metallic nanoparticles such as silver and gold are known as plasmonic materials; they have a marked ability to absorb and scatter light at a frequency that is resonant with their surface plasmon oscillation. This resonance frequency depends on particle shape, size, and the density of the particle’s electron distribution and the surrounding dielectric environment. Recent reports have demonstrated that the use of metallic nanoparticles, provides an opportunity for novel antitumor
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