title: Inverse relationship between elemental selenium nanoparticle size and inhibition of cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Elemental selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been demonstrated to be equivalent to selenomethionine and methylselenocysteine in upregulating selenoenzymes; however, the toxicity of SeNPs is markedly lower than these two organic selenium compounds. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of SeNP size on cancer cell growth and ascertain whether production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is implicated as a candidate mechanism of action. Two types of SeNPs (averaging 35 nm and 91 nm) were investigated. Cell accumulation was inhibited in vitro and in vivo in a manner inversely proportional to particle size. In vitro modeling experiments showed the reduction of SeNPs to be glutathione concentration dependent and to result in ROS formation. Both SeNP biotransformation and ROS production were size dependent, with the smaller SeNPs being more active, thereby suggesting that small-sized SeNPs are more effective in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation through an ROS mediated mechanism.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Yijun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Guangshan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Daxiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaochun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tea Plant Biology and Utilization, School of Tea & Food Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, PR China. Electronic address: zjs@ahau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jinsong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D065567:Absorption, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D021461:Animals, Outbred Strains; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010316:Particle Size; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D005978:Glutathione; D012643:Selenium
keywords: Cytotoxicity; Nanoparticles; Reactive oxygen species; Selenium; Size