The Apoptosis Effect on Liver Cancer Cells of Gold Nanoparticles Modified with Lithocholic Acid

Mei-Xia Zhao,Zhong-Chao Cai,Zhi-Qiang Zhang,Bing-Jie Zhu

doi:10.1186/s11671-018-2653-8

Abstract

Functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have widely applied in many fields, due to their good biocompatibility, a long drug half-life, and their bioactivity is related to their size and the modified ligands on their surface. Here, we synthesized the AuNPs capped with ligands that possess polyethylene glycol (PEG) and lithocholic acid (LCA) linked by carboxyl groups (AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA). Our cytotoxicity results indicated that AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA have better cell selectivity; in other words, it could inhibit the growth of multiple liver cancer cells more effectively than other cancer cells and normal cells. Apoptosis plays a role in AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA inhibition cell proliferation, which was convincingly proved by some apoptotic index experiments, such as nuclear staining, annexin V-FITC, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) analysis, and AO/EB staining experiments. The most potent AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA were confirmed to efficiently induce apoptosis through a reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediating mitochondrial dysfunction. And AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA could be more effective in promoting programmed cell death of liver cancer cells.

Highlights

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as nano-materials have widely applied in many fields because of its unique optical properties, good chemical stability, and biocompatibility [1–5]
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images depicted that the morphology of AuNP@mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lithocholic acid (LCA) is similar to that of the AuNP@MPA
The AuNP@MPA-PEG-LCA could inhibit the growth of multiple liver cancer cells more effectively with increasing nanoparticle concentration but have less damage to normal cells and other cancer cells

Summary

Introduction

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as nano-materials have widely applied in many fields because of its unique optical properties, good chemical stability, and biocompatibility [1–5]. It has broad application prospects in nano-electronics, nano-photonics, catalysis, sensors, biomarkers, and many other areas [6–8]. Because AuNPs have large surface area and spherical shape, they can be used as carrier for antineoplastic drugs [9–12]. Many AuNP complex have been mainly used for the new type of antitumor drugs in order to treat cancer [13, 14]. As an antineoplastic drug carrier, AuNP complex can control cell function, regulate gene expression, and detect analytes in the cell [15, 16]. The improvement of functionalized AuNPs becomes one of the important trends in the research of cancer treatment [17–19]

Methods

Results

Conclusion