Gold nanoparticles and radiofrequency in experimental models for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most lethal and chemo-refractory cancers, clearly, alternative treatment strategies are needed. We utilized 10nm gold nanoparticles as a scaffold to synthesize nanoconjugates bearing a targeting antibody (cetuximab, C225) and gemcitabine. Loading efficiency of gemcitabine on the gold nanoconjugates was 30%.

Aspergillus fumigatus hyphal damage caused by noninvasive radiofrequency field-induced hyperthermia.

We studied the effect of noninvasive radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia on the viability of Aspergillus fumigatus hyphae in vitro. Radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia resulted in significant (>70%, P < 0.0001) hyphal damage in a time and thermal dose-dependent fashion as assessed by XTT [(sodium 2,3,-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)-carbonyl] (1)-2H-tetrazolium inner salt)], DiBAC [bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol] staining, and transmission electron microscopy.

Cytotoxicity and variant cellular internalization behavior of water-soluble sulfonated nanographene sheets in liver cancer cells.

Highly exfoliated sulfonated graphene sheets (SGSs), an alternative to graphene oxide and graphene derivatives, were synthesized, characterized, and applied to liver cancer cells in vitro. Cytotoxicity profiles were obtained using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, WST-1[2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, and lactate dehydrogenase release colorimetric assays. These particles were found to be non-toxic across the concentration range of 0.

Luciferase-based protein denaturation assay for quantification of radiofrequency field-induced targeted hyperthermia: developing an intracellular thermometer.

Background: Several studies have reported targeted hyperthermia at the cellular level using remote activation of nanoparticles by radiofrequency waves. To date, methods to quantify intracellular thermal dose have not been reported. In this report we study the relationship between radio wave exposure and luciferase denaturation with and without intracellular nanoparticles.

Stability of antibody-conjugated gold nanoparticles in the endolysosomal nanoenvironment: implications for noninvasive radiofrequency-based cancer therapy.

Unlabelled: The use of noninvasive radiofrequency (RF) electric fields as an energy source for thermal activation of nanoparticles within cancer cells could be a valuable addition to the emerging field of nano-mediated cancer therapies. Based on investigations of cell death through hyperthermia, and offering the ability for total-body penetration by RF fields, this technique is thought to complement and possibly outperform existing nano-heat treatments that utilize alternative heat production via optical or magnetic stimuli. However, it remains a challenge to understand fully the complex RF-nanoparticle-intracellular interactions before full system optimization can be engineered.

Noninvasive radiofrequency field destruction of pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenografts treated with targeted gold nanoparticles.

Purpose: Pancreatic carcinoma is one of the deadliest cancers with few effective treatments. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are potentially therapeutic because of the safety demonstrated thus far and their physiochemical characteristics. We used the astounding heating rates of AuNPs in nonionizing radiofrequency (RF) radiation to investigate human pancreatic xenograft destruction in a murine model.

Bioengineered arginase I increases caspase-3 expression of hepatocellular and pancreatic carcinoma cells despite induction of argininosuccinate synthetase-1.

Background: Hepatocellular and pancreatic carcinomas are often auxotrophic for L-arginine, a semi-essential amino acid. The purpose of this study was to investigate cancer cell death using a significantly more active, cobalt-substituted bioengineered arginase.

Methods: Panc-1, a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line, and Hep 3B, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, were exposed to L-arginase.

The crystal structure of Escherichia coli heat shock protein YedU reveals three potential catalytic active sites.

The mRNA of Escherichia coli yedU gene is induced 31-fold upon heat shock. The 31-kD YedU protein, also calls Hsp31, is highly conserved in several human pathogens and has chaperone activity. We solved the crystal structure of YedU at 2.