You have accessJournal of UrologyProstate Cancer: Basic Research1 Apr 20111611 CONCOMITANT INCUBATION OF PROSTATE CANCER CELLS WITH CARBOPLATIN AND CARBON NANOPARTICLES ENHANCES CYTOTOXICITY Jessica Ringel, Kati Erdmann, Marcus Arlt, Kai Kraemer, Susanne Fuessel, and Manfred P. Wirth Jessica RingelJessica Ringel Dresden, Germany More articles by this author , Kati ErdmannKati Erdmann Dresden, Germany More articles by this author , Marcus ArltMarcus Arlt Dresden, Germany More articles by this author , Kai KraemerKai Kraemer Dresden, Germany More articles by this author , Susanne FuesselSusanne Fuessel Dresden, Germany More articles by this author , and Manfred P. WirthManfred P. Wirth Dresden, Germany More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.1719AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The efficiency of chemotherapeutic drugs can be limited by resistance mechanisms such as decreased drug uptake, increased detoxification or efficient elimination of the drug from the cells. Nanoscaled drug carriers such as carbon nanofibers (CNFs) represent an innovative strategy to increase the anticancer activity of conventional chemotherapeutics. However, emerging evidence suggests that CNFs can act as bioactive molecules themselves. In this study, we investigated the ability of CNFs to sensitize prostate cancer cells to the platinum-based chemotherapeutic carboplatin. METHODS CNFs (Pyrograf III) were purchased from Applied Sciences. PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells were treated with CNFs (1–200 μg/ml), carboplatin (5–15 μg/ml) and their combination for 24 h. Effects of the isolated and combined treatments on cell viability were assessed using WST-1 test at 72 and 96 h after start of treatment. Inhibition of cell growth was determined by measuring cell counts and rate of apoptosis. RESULTS The incubation of prostate cancer cells with CNFs alone resulted in a minor decrease of viability at higher concentrations indicating no acute toxicity of the nanoparticles. The highest concentration of CNFs (200 μg/ml) reduced the viability of DU-145 cells to maximum of 80% and that of PC-3 cells to maximum of 85%. The addition of CNFs to carboplatin clearly enhanced the cytotoxic effects of the chemotherapeutic 72 and 96 h after start of treatment. A synergistic enhancement of combined treatment with carboplatin and CNFs depending on the concentration of CNFs was observed in both cell lines. The chemotherapeutic alone (7.5 μg/ml) reduced the viability of DU-145 cells to 85%, whereas a combined treatment with carboplatin and CNFs (75 μg/ml) led to a decrease to less than 40%. For PC-3 cells the treatment with carboplatin alone (5 μg/ml) resulted in a decrease of viability to 70%, combined treatment with CNFs (75 μg/ml) led to 25% remaining viability. Cell death caused by apoptosis was induced more prominently in combinations than in separate treatments. CONCLUSIONS CNFs efficiently enhanced the cytotoxic effects of carboplatin on prostate cancer cells without possessing intrinsic toxicity. This chemosensitization effect is presumably caused by an increased intracellular uptake of carboplatin mediated by CNFs. Future research will focus on the investigation of functional aspects regarding interactions of the CNFs with the cellular membrane. © 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 185Issue 4SApril 2011Page: e646 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Jessica Ringel Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Kati Erdmann Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Marcus Arlt Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Kai Kraemer Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Susanne Fuessel Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Manfred P. Wirth Dresden, Germany More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...