Recently, we have shown that targeting the cancer cell nucleus with solid gold nanospheres, using a cancer cell penetrating/pro-apoptotic peptide (RGD) and a nuclear localization sequence peptide (NLS), inhibits cell division, thus leading to apoptosis. In the present work, we report the use of peptide-conjugated solid gold nanospheres and hollow gold nanocages to induce cell death in cancer cells. Gold nanocages were found to exhibit an enhancement in terms of, cell cycle changes, reduction of ATP, generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and, most important, the ability to induce apoptosis and necrosis. This evidence suggests that the presence of silver oxide (i.e. oxidized metallic silver) on the inner cavity of the hollow cage causes ROS generation and thereby induces greater cell death than the solid spheres. Another suggested cause is the packing of ligands on the surface of the cage, namely the pro-apoptotic RGD peptide, which would render an extended conformation of ligands on the surface of the cage, thereby enhancing their biochemical activity. Overall, the results here have important implications in understanding the interactions between nanomaterials and living systems and provide new information based on not only the metallic composition, but the shape of the nanocomposite.

Gold nanoparticle-induced cell death: Solid gold nanospheres vs. hollow gold nanocages

245th National Meeting (2013)

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