Cisplatin-tethered gold nanospheres for multimodal chemo-radiotherapy of glioblastoma

Nanoscale. 2014 Sep 21;6(18):10865-73. doi: 10.1039/c4nr03693j. Epub 2014 Aug 13.

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains the most aggressive and challenging brain tumour to treat. We report the first successful chemo-radiotherapy on patient derived treatment resistant GBM cells using a cisplatin-tethered gold nanosphere. After intracellular uptake, the nanosphere effects DNA damage which initiates caspase-mediated apoptosis in those cells. In the presence of radiation, both gold and platinum of cisplatin, serve as high atomic number radiosensitizers leading to the emission of ionizing photoelectrons and Auger electrons. This resulted in enhanced synergy between cisplatin and radiotherapy mediated cytotoxicity, and photo/Auger electron mediated radiosensitisation leading to complete ablation of the tumour cells in an in vitro model system. This study demonstrates the potential of designed nanoparticles to target aggressive cancers in the patient derived cell lines providing a platform to move towards treatment strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cisplatin / chemistry*
  • Cisplatin / toxicity
  • DNA Damage / drug effects
  • DNA Damage / radiation effects
  • Gamma Rays
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Nanospheres / chemistry*
  • Polyethyleneimine / chemistry
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / chemistry*
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / toxicity

Substances

  • Histones
  • Radiation-Sensitizing Agents
  • Gold
  • Polyethyleneimine
  • Caspases
  • Cisplatin