1. A method for the efficient cellular uptake and retention of small modified gold nanoparticles for the radiosensitization of cells.
- Author
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Burger, Nina, Biswas, Abin, Barzan, Daniel, Kirchner, Anne, Hosser, Hiltraud, Hausmann, Michael, Hildenbrand, Georg, Herskind, Carsten, Wenz, Frederik, and Veldwijk, Marlon R.
- Subjects
GOLD nanoparticles ,PHOTOELECTRONS ,HELA cells ,GENE transfection ,RADIATION-sensitizing agents ,DNA analysis - Abstract
Gold nanoparticles (GNP) enhance the absorbance of photons thereby increasing emission of Auger-/photoelectrons in the nm--μm range. Yet, a major disadvantage is their diameter-dependent cellular uptake with an optimum of ~ 50 nm which may not offer optimal radiosensitization. A method was developed to enhance the uptake of small GNP. GNP (10 nm) were linked to DNA and transferred into HeLa cells by transient transfection (GNP-DT). Treatment of cells with GNP-DT resulted in a strong perinuclear focal accumulation, whereas this was dimmer and sparser for GNP-T (lacking DNA) and close to background levels in GNP-treated cells. Only GNP-DT showed a significant radiosensitizing effect (p = 0.005) on clonogenic survival using clinically relevant megavolt x-rays. Our novel method markedly increases the uptake/retention and alters the localization of small GNP in cells compared to unmodified GNP. This work finally enables studying the radiosensitizing effects of differentially sized GNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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