Integrated Study of the Interaction Between Gold Nanorods and Cancer Cells

The aim of the investigation was to study the interaction of the gold nanorods stabilized by biocompatible agents with cancer cells.

Materials and Methods. The research was carried out on gold nanorods with extinction peak about 808 nm and 41×10 nm in size. Pluronic F127, chitosan and polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions were used for stabilization. Optical characteristics of the solutions were investigated by a double-beam spectrophotometer. A cytotoxic effect of the nanoparticles was estimated by MTT assay. The interaction of the nanorods with eukaryotic cells was studied by two-photon luminescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy techniques. Transmission electron microscopy was used to perform a semi-quantitative analysis and study intracellular distribution.

Results. Stabilization of nanoparticles by Pluronic F127, chitosan and PEG resulted in the changes of their spectral characteristics with broadening of extinction peak and decrease of its intensity. All studied solutions of nanoparticles had the similar level of cytotoxicity. The nanoparticles found in cells were in the form of separate nanoparticles, larger assemblages and aggregates, the last two fractions prevailing. PEG-stabilized nanoparticles (after 1–3 h) and chitosan-stabilized nanoparticles (after 6 h) penetrated into cells the most efficiently. Endocytosis has been shown to play the main role in the internalization of nanoparticles.

Conclusion. The obtained results may lead to better understanding of the interaction process of nanomaterials with living cells, the influence of the stabilizing agent nature on optical properties of nanoparticles and their cytotoxic effects. Besides, the data on the accumulation of nanoparticles in cells will be useful when developing imaging techniques and therapy using nanomaterials.

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Elagin V.V., Bugrova M.L., Gorshkova E.N., Sergeeva E.A., Zagaynova Е.V. Integrated Study of the Interaction Between Gold Nanorods and Cancer Cells. Sovremennye tehnologii v medicine 2014; 6(4): 26