Neoplastic cell response to tiopronin-coated gold nanoparticles.
The present study characterized the in vitro biological response of a comprehensive set of cancer cell lines to gold nanoparticles (2.7 nm) coated with tiopronin (AuNPs-TP). Our findings suggest that upon entering cells, the AuNPs-TP are sequestered in vacuoles such as endosomes and lysosomes, and mostly localize in perinuclear areas. Peak cell accumulation was achieved at 8 hours after incubation. L929 and H520 cells showed more than 75% surviving fraction when treated with 0.5 mg/mL of AuNPs-TP for 24 hours, whereas the surviving fractions were 60% in MCF-7 and 20% in HeLa cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the AuNPs-TP was dependent on cell line and exposure time. Antioxidants inhibited ROS generation to various extents, with glutathione and tiopronin being most effective. Overall, exposure time, concentration of the AuNPs-TP, and cell line influenced neoplastic cell response. Furthermore, the mechanism of cytotoxicity of the AuNPs-TP was found to be ROS generation.


BACKGROUND
This study describes the basic intracellular characteristics of Tiopronin-Au nanoparticles from the standpoint of their anti-cancer activity in different cancer cell cultures.
Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lei
L
Cui
Payam
P
Zahedi
Justin
J
Saraceno
Robert
R
Bristow
David
D
Jaffray
Christine
C
Allen
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D008625:Tiopronin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000975:Antioxidants; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006046:Gold; D008625:Tiopronin; D005978:Glutathione