title: The role of mitochondrial function in gold nanoparticle mediated radiosensitisation.
abstract: Gold nanoparticles (GNPs), have been demonstrated as effective preclinical radiosensitising agents in a range of cell models and radiation sources. These studies have also highlighted difficulty in predicted cellular radiobiological responses mediated by GNPs, based on physical assumptions alone, and therefore suggest a significant underlying biological component of response. This study aimed to determine the role of mitochondrial function in GNP radiosensitisation. Using assays of DNA damage and mitochondrial function through levels of oxidation and loss of membrane potential, we demonstrate a potential role of mitochondria as a central biological mechanism of GNP mediated radiosensitisation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.affiliation: School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's, BT7 1NN Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Fred J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Currell
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Prise
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Karl T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Butterworth
keywords: Gold nanoparticles; Mitochondria; Oxidative stress; Radiation; Radiosensitisation