size and concentration based uptake and toxicity of gold nanoparticles in ovarian cancer cells

What is it about?

the in-vitro study is based on toxicity and uptake of as prepared, non-functionalised gold nanoparticles of size 18nm, 40nm, 60nm and 80nm in 3 type of ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR5, OVCAR8, and SKOV3).

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Why is it important?

the study was important because different cancer cell types have different physical and clinical characteristics, that can significantly affect the cell-nanoparticle interaction; and a similar response was observed in our study when OVCAR5, OVCAR8, and SKOV3 cells were incubated with 4 different sized AuNPs. The AuNPs were associated with a temporary reduction in metabolic activity and significantly affected the cell proliferation activity in the first 12 h, but metabolic activity remained more than 60% for all sample types, suggesting the non-cytotoxic nature of AuNPs. The increase in nanoparticle size and concentration induced the production of reactive oxygen species in 24 h. Also, the update was not just AuNPs size dependent but cell dependent as well which significantly altered the cellular update.