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Radio frequency hyperthermia of cancerous cells with gold nanoclusters: an in vitro investigation

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Abstract

Heating response of gold nanoclusters of two different sizes (2 and 3 nm) under radio frequency electric field has been reported here for the first time. Experiments were performed on colloidal solution of nanoparticles and their in vitro hyperthermia effect was investigated on pancreatic cancer cells (MIA Paca-2). Gold nanoclusters at concentrations up to 200 ppm were found non-toxic, based on the results of cytotoxicity assay using tetrazolium dye MTT and at concentrations up to 50 ppm exhibited very low hemolytic activity. Gold nanoclusters of two sizes resulted in up to 50 °C temperature rise when in radio frequency electric field of 100 W power. Smaller clusters were found more efficient for heat generation and thus were applied in cell studies. Gold nanoclusters (at 5–200 ppm concentrations) under radio frequency electric field (100 W, 2 and 4 min of exposure duration) exhibited successful eradication of pancreatic cancerous cells.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Mr. M. Rahvar for his help in hemolysis studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine (SATiM), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, 1417755469, Iran

    Seyed Mohammad Amini & Sharmin Kharrazi

  2. Biotechnology Research Center, Nanotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

    Mahmoud Reza Jaafari

Authors
  1. Seyed Mohammad Amini
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  2. Sharmin Kharrazi
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  3. Mahmoud Reza Jaafari
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Correspondence to Sharmin Kharrazi.

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Funding

This study was funded by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) (grant number 93-01-87-25211).

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Amini, S.M., Kharrazi, S. & Jaafari, M.R. Radio frequency hyperthermia of cancerous cells with gold nanoclusters: an in vitro investigation. Gold Bull 50, 43–50 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13404-016-0192-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13404-016-0192-6

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