title: Anti-EGFR-Conjugated Hollow Gold Nanospheres Enhance Radiocytotoxic Targeting of Cervical Cancer at Megavoltage Radiation Energies.
abstract: The study aimed to confirm that anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody-conjugated hollow gold nanospheres (anti-EGFR/HGNs) can be selectively uptaken by cervical cancer cells and induce its apoptosis when combined with radiotherapy, as a result enhancing radiosensitivity of cervical cancer cells. HGNs with a mean diameter of 54.6 ± 7.11 nm and wall thickness of 5.01 ± 2.23 nm were viewed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cell uptake was assayed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The cytotoxicity on HeLa cells, which were used in our experiment, was assessed by CCK-8 assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were examined by an Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) kit with flow cytometry (FCM). The expression of several critical apoptosis-related proteins, including Bcl-2, Bax, Bad, and active caspase 3, was tested by western blot analysis. Cells treated by anti-EGFR/HGNs showed an obvious increase in nanoparticle uptake compared to naked HGNs. Anti-EGFR/HGNs combined with radiation resulted in a significant growth inhibition, compared with radiation combined with naked HGNs. Anti-EGFR/HGNs remarkably increased the ratio of HeLa cells in the G2/M phase and induced more apoptosis by an obvious deregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax, Bad, and caspase 3 when combined with radiation. Therefore, anti-EGFR/HGNs can increase the targeted uptake of HGNs by HeLa cells and enhance radiocytotoxic targeting of cervical cancer at megavoltage radiation energies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhuaxilu No. 107, Jinan, 250012 Shandong Province China.
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhuaxilu No. 107, Jinan, 250012 Shandong Province China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhuaxilu No. 107, Jinan, 250012 Shandong Province China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhuaxilu No. 107, Jinan, 250012 Shandong Province China.
authors.forename: Dengke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Wenhuaxilu No. 107, Jinan, 250012 Shandong Province China.
authors.forename: Xingsheng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies; Apoptosis; Cervical cancer; Hollow gold nanospheres; Megavoltage X-ray; Radiosensitivity