Interaction of C60 fullerene complexed to cisplatin with model bilipid membranes and its uptake by HeLa cells

Abstract

With an aim to elucidate the effects of C60 fullerene complexed with anticancer agent cisplatin (Cis) on model bilipid membranes, the investigation of electric properties of bilipid membranes under the action of Cis and C60 fullerene alone and their complex, C60 + Cis, was performed. It was found that the complex itself as well as its components alone exert clearly detected influence on bilipid membranes, which depends on the concentration and the composition of phospholipid. The mechanism of this effect originates either from intermolecular interaction of the drug with fatty‐acid residues of phospholipids or from membranotropic effects of the drug‐induced lipid peroxidation, or from the sum of these two effects. By means of fluorescence microscopy, the uptake of C60 + Cis complex into HeLa cells has been directly evidenced which stimulates further use of the C60 fullerene‐drug mixture in pre‐clinical tests.