Gold Nanoparticles Targeting Human Cervical Cancer Cells

Abstract

The most disturbing gynecologic malignancies are cervical cancer particularly in the developing world with the same high incidence in Iraqi women. Cervical carcinoma has a high rate of mortality. The high death rate is associated with presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Cervical carcinoma is hard to treat, and conventional therapies are very aggressive which lead for the need for new approaches of therapy. Nanoparticles is a promising treatment modality to produce non-toxic and efficient cancer therapy. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) accumulate in cancer cells selectively. The current work was aimed to study cytotoxicity and cell death induced by AuNPs on cervical carcinoma cells. Methods: Cytotoxicity of AuNPs was assessed by MTT viability assay and analysed using multiple comparison ANOVA tests. Results: AuNPs nanoparticles from 12.5 up to 50 µg/mL for 72 hours showed concentration-dependent killing activity. Conclusion: Gold nanoparticles have anti-cervical carcinoma cells activity by cell death induction.