Cumulative antitumor effect of bismuth lipophilic nanoparticles and cetylpyridinium chloride in inhibiting the growth of lung cancer

Objective: To determine the combined antitumor effect of bismuth lipophilic nanoparticles (BisBAL NP) and cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) on human lung tumor cells. Material and methods: The human lung tumor cells A549 were exposed to 1–100 µM BisBAL NP or CPC, either separately or in a 1:1 combination. Cell viability was measured with the PrestoBlue assay, the LIVE/DEAD assay, and fluorescence microscopy. The integrity and morphology of cellular microtubules were analyzed by immunofluorescence. Results: A 24-h exposure to 1 µM solutions reduced A549 growth with 21.5% for BisBAL NP, 70.5% for CPC, and 92.4% for the combination ( p