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Modulation of cancer cells’ radiation response in the presence of folate conjugated Au@Fe2O3 nanocomplex as a targeted radiosensitizer

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Abstract

Objectives

To investigate the effects of Au@Fe2O3 core–shell nanoparticle (NP), with and without conjugation to folic acid (FA) as a targeting ligand, on radiosensitization of both cancer and healthy cells.

Methods

Au@Fe2O3 NPs were first synthesized, then modified with FA, and finally characterized. Radiation dose enhancement studies were performed on KB cancer cells and L929 healthy cells. NPs at the concentration of 20 µg/ml were first incubated with both cell lines and then different doses of 6 MV X-ray radiation were examined. The end effects were evaluated via MTT assay and flow cytometry using AnnexinV/PI kit.

Results

It was indicated that viability of KB cells has a much lower rate than L929 cells when the cells were treated by {(FA-Au@Fe2O3) + (X-ray)} regimen. Cell viability was even decreased significantly when X-ray dose increased. Moreover, flow cytometry studies revealed that FA-targeted NPs induced higher level of apoptosis for KB cancer cells than L929 healthy cells.

Conclusion

Our findings provide a new perspective on high ability of the synthesized FA-targeted Au@Fe2O3 NPs which may be considered as an efficient radiosensitizer in the process of targeted radiation therapy of cancer.

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Author notes

  1. M. Mirrahimi and V. Hosseini contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran

    M. Mirrahimi, V. Hosseini, A. Shakeri-Zadeh, S. K. Kamrava & Z. Abed

  2. Medical Physics Department, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran

    M. Mirrahimi, V. Hosseini, A. Shakeri-Zadeh, Z. Alamzadeh & Z. Abed

  3. Applied Biophotonics Research Center, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    S. K. Kamrava & N. Attaran

  4. Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZaUMS), Zahedan, Iran

    H. Ghaznavi

  5. Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    S. M. A. Hosseini Nami

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  1. M. Mirrahimi
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  2. V. Hosseini
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Correspondence to H. Ghaznavi or S. M. A. Hosseini Nami.

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Mirrahimi, M., Hosseini, V., Shakeri-Zadeh, A. et al. Modulation of cancer cells’ radiation response in the presence of folate conjugated Au@Fe2O3 nanocomplex as a targeted radiosensitizer. Clin Transl Oncol 21, 479–488 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1947-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-018-1947-8

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