Intercomparison of radiosensitization induced by gold and iron oxide nanoparticles in human glioblastoma cells irradiated by 6 MV photons

Abstract

In this work, an intercomparison of sensitization effects produced by gold (GNP) and dextran-coated iron oxide (SPION-DX) nanoparticles in M059J and U87 human glioblastoma cells was performed using 6 MV-photons. Three variables were mapped: the nanoparticle material, treatment concentration, and cell radiosensitivity. For U87, GNP treatments resulted in high sensitization enhancement ratios (SER$$_{10\%}$$ 10 % up to 2.04). More modest effects were induced by SPION-DX, but still significant reductions in survival were achieved (maximum SER$$_{10\%}=1.61$$ 10 % = 1.61 ). For the radiosensitive M059J, sensitization by both NPs was poor. SER$$_{10\%}$$ 10 % increased with the degree of elemental uptake in the cells, but not necessarily with treatment concentration. For GNP, where exposure concentration and elemental uptake were found to be proportional, SER$$_{10\%}$$ 10 % increased linearly with concentration in both cell lines. For SPION-DX, saturation of sensitization enhancement and metal uptake occurred at high exposures. Fold change in the $$\alpha /\beta$$ α / β ratios extracted from survival curves are reduced by the presence of SPION-DX but strongly increased by GNPs , suggesting that sensitization by GNPs occurs mainly via promotion of lethal damage, while for SPION-DX repairable damage dominates. The NPs were more effective in eliminating the radioresistant glioblastoma cells, an interesting finding, as resistant cells are key targets to improve treatment outcome.

Prospects of Nanoparticle-based Radioenhancement for Radiotherapy

“…• At similar metal-mass uptake Au NPs showed higher enhancement than SPION-DX [237] MOFs: Hf-DBA, Hf-TCPP, Ti/Zr-PCN-415, Ti-MIL-125…”

Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPION): From Fundamentals to State-of-the-Art Innovative Applications for Cancer Therapy

“…Owing to a higher attenuation coefficient, the radiosensitization strategies have mainly focused on high atomic number nanoparticles (High Z NPs) [ 188 , 189 , 190 , 191 , 192 , 193 , 194 , 195 , 196 ]. However, some emerging studies used nanomaterials that have the ability to improve RT efficiency through other mechanisms such as SPION.…”

Recent Metal Nanotheranostics for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy: A Review

“…Results demonstrated that SIONPs potentially improve the radio-sensitivity of breast cancer [66]. Guerra et al [67] studied the radio-sensitization effects produced by gold and dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION-DX) in M059J and U87 human glioblastoma cell lines irradiated by 6 MV photons beam. For U87 cells, SPION-DX nanoparticles with a core diameter of 21.1 nm showed a maximum sensitization enhancement ratio (SER10%) = 1.61 in the group exposed to 50 µg/mL of nanoparticles.…”