Abstract
This study examined the effects of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and/or ionizing radiation (IR) on the viability and motility of human primary colon epithelial (CCD841) and colorectal adenocarcinoma (SW48) cells as well as human primary epidermal melanocytes (HEM) and melanoma (MM418-C1) cells. AuNPs up to 4 mM had no effect on the viability of these cell lines. The viability of the cancer cells was ~60% following exposure to 5 Gy. Exposure to 5 Gy X-rays or 1 mM AuNPs showed the migration of the cancer cells ~85% that of untreated controls, while co-treatment with AuNPs and IR decreased migration to ~60%. In the non-cancerous cell lines gap closure was enhanced by ~15% following 1 mM AuNPs or 5 Gy treatment, while for co-treatment it was ~22% greater than that for the untreated controls. AuNPs had no effect on cell re-adhesion, while IR enhanced only the re-adhesion of the cancer cell lines but not their non-cancerous counterparts. The addition of AuNPs did not enhance cell adherence. This different reaction to AuNPs and IR in the cancer and normal cells can be attributed to radiation-induced adhesiveness and metabolic differences between tumour cells and their non-cancerous counterparts.
Highlights
Ionizing radiation (IR) has been widely used clinically in the treatment of a broad range of cancers over the past few decades [1]
While ionizing radiation (IR) has proven to be an effective tool in decreasing the viability of cells in a tumour mass [4], its effects on cell migration remain controversial so that both promoting and inhibiting effects have been attributed to it [5]
Coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) was used to determine the picograms of Au atoms that were accumulated per cell for human colorectal adenocarcinoma (SW48), colon epithelial (CCD841) cells, melanoma (MM418-C1), and human epidermal melanocytes (HEM)
Summary
Ionizing radiation (IR) has been widely used clinically in the treatment of a broad range of cancers over the past few decades [1]. Cancer treatment techniques are focused on minimising the viability and migration (metastasis) of cancer cells. The effects of IR on the cells surrounding the tumour are of concern. Even though there is increased accuracy of targeting the cancerous tissues, those cells surrounding the tumour or in the path of the IR beam can become exposed to therapeutic radiation [2,3]. It is vital to understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of IR on the viability and motility of both cancer and non-cancerous cells to improve these treatment techniques. While IR has proven to be an effective tool in decreasing the viability of cells in a tumour mass [4], its effects on cell migration remain controversial so that both promoting and inhibiting effects have been attributed to it [5]
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