Gold nanoparticles as a radio sensitizer in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer cells

Ramadan, Heba Said; Abd El-Krim, Mohaned; Mohamed, Bassant Safaa; Elsweedy, Tarek

doi:10.21608/jcbr.2025.353130.1380

Gold nanoparticles as a radio sensitizer in the treatment of triple negative breast cancer cells

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Medical Biophysics Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Basic Science Department, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Rashid University, Egypt

³ Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt

⁴ Applied Medical Chemistry Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/jcbr.2025.353130.1380

Abstract

Background: The current study intends to assess the possible impact of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as radiosensitizers in the treatment of breast cancer following X-ray irradiation of cell lines. AuNPs were chemically synthesized to accomplish our goal. Materials and methods: A transmission electron microscope was then used to evaluate the synthesised particles' physical dimensions and form. A Nano ZeTACizer particle analyser was used to measure the zeta potential of the produced solutions, and a UV-Vis spectrometer was used to record the samples' optical characteristics. The cytotoxic effects of AuNPs and X-ray irradiation on the triple negative MDA-MB-231 and ER-positive and PR-positive MCF-7 human breast cancer cell lines were evaluated using the MTT cell viability test. Results: According to the MTT assay, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells treated with varying concentrations of AuNps for 48 hours showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell viability. In terms of the cytotoxic dose required to 50% inhibit the cell proliferation process, the triple negative MDA-MB 231 cell line was more vulnerable to AuNps than the ER positive MCF-7 cells. According to our results, AuNps treatments stopped the cell cycle. This is consistent with the fact that AuNps combination treatments with X-rays produced the fewest viable cells, with necrosis accounting for up to 75% of cell death and apoptosis for the remaining 16%. All our findings point to a possible radiosensitization impact of AuNps on MDA-MB-231 cells. Conclusion: The radiotherapy of triple negative breast cancer cells, gold nanoparticles, as metal nanoparticles, are agents with good radiosensitizing potential.

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