title: GNRs@SiO₂-FA in combination with radiotherapy induces the apoptosis of HepG2 cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related proteins.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the apoptosis of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, HepG2, induced by treatment with folic acid-conjugated silica-coated gold nanorods (GNRs@SiO2-FA) in combination with radiotherapy, and to determine the involvement of apoptosis-related proteins. An MTT colorimetric assay was used to assess the biocompatibility of GNRs@SiO2-FA. The distribution of GNRs@SiO2-FA into the cells was observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). HepG2 cells cultured in vitro were divided into the following 4 groups: i)the control group (untreated), ii) the GNRs@SiO2-FA group, iii) the radiotherapy group (iodine 125 seeds) and iv) the combination group (treated with GNRs@SiO2-FA and iodine 125 seeds) groups. The apoptosis of the HepG2 cells was detected by flow cytometry. The concentration range of <40 µg/ml GNRs@SiO2-FA was found to be safe for the biological activity of the HepG2 cells. GNRs@SiO2-FA entered the cytoplasm through endocytosis. The apoptotic rates of the HepG2 cells were higher in the GNRs@SiO2-FA and radiotherapy groups than in the control group (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate was also significantly higher in the combination group than the GNRs@SiO2-FA and radiotherapy groups (P<0.05). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the combination of GNRs@SiO2-FA and radiotherapy more effectively induces the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. These apoptotic effects are achieved by increasing the protein expression of Bax and caspase-3, and inhibiting the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Ki-67. The combination of GNRs@SiO2-FA and radiotherapy may thus prove to be a new approach in the treatment of primary liver cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230061, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ke-Wu
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy / Q000379:methods; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000379:methods; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D006046:Gold; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D005492:Folic Acid; D053148:Caspase 3