The effects of combined selenium nanoparticles and radiation therapy on breast cancer cells in vitro.

Radiosensitizers that increase cancer cell radio-sensitivity can enhance the effectiveness of irradiation and minimize collateral damage. Nanomaterial has been employed in conjunction with radiotherapy as radiosensitizers, due to its unique physicochemical properties. In this article, we evaluated selenium nanoparticles (Nano-Se) as a new radiosensitizer. Nano-Se was used in conjunction with irradiation on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and efficacy and mechanisms of this combined treatment approach were evaluated. Nano-Se reinforced the toxic effects of irradiation, leading to a higher mortality rate than either treatment used alone, inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and the activation of autophagy, and increasing both endogenous and irradiation-induced reactive oxygen species formation. These results suggest that Nano-Se can be used as an adjuvant drug to improve cancer cell sensitivity to the toxic effects of irradiation and thereby reduce damage to normal tissue nearby.

Methemoglobin-Based Biological Dose Assessment for Human Blood.

Methemoglobin is an oxidative form of hemoglobin in erythrocytes. The authors' aim was to develop a new biological dosimeter based on a methemoglobin assay. Methemoglobin in peripheral blood (of females or males) that was exposed to a Co source (0.20 Gy min) was quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The dose range was 0.5-8.0 Gy. In a time-course experiment, the time points 0, 0.02, 1, 2, 3, 7, 15, 21, and 30 d after 4-Gy irradiation of heparinized peripheral blood were used. Methemoglobin levels in a lysed erythrocyte pellet from the irradiated blood of females and males increased with the increasing dose. Methemoglobin levels in female blood irradiated with γ-doses more than 4 Gy were significantly higher than those in male samples at the same doses. Two dose-response relations were fitted to the straight line: one is with the correlation coefficient of 0.98 for females, and the other is with the correlation coefficient of 0.99 for males. The lower limit of dose assessment based on methemoglobin is about 1 Gy. Methemoglobin levels in blood as a result of auto-oxidation increase after 7-d storage at -20 °C. The upregulation of methemoglobin induced by γ-radiation persists for ∼3 d. The absorbed doses that were estimated using the two dose-response relations were close to the actual doses. The results suggest that methemoglobin can be used as a rapid and accurate biological dosimeter for early assessment of absorbed γ-dose in human blood.

Enhancement of radiotherapy by ceria nanoparticles modified with neogambogic acid in breast cancer cells.

Radiotherapy is one of the main strategies for cancer treatment but has significant challenges, such as cancer cell resistance and radiation damage to normal tissue. Radiosensitizers that selectively increase the susceptibility of cancer cells to radiation can enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy. We report here the development of a novel radiosensitizer consisting of monodispersed ceria nanoparticles (CNPs) covered with the anticancer drug neogambogic acid (NGA-CNPs). These were used in conjunction with radiation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, and the efficacy and mechanisms of action of this combined treatment approach were evaluated. NGA-CNPs potentiated the toxic effects of radiation, leading to a higher rate of cell death than either treatment used alone and inducing the activation of autophagy and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, while pretreatment with NGA or CNPs did not improve the rate of radiation-induced cancer cells death. However, NGA-CNPs decreased both endogenous and radiation-induced reactive oxygen species formation, unlike other nanomaterials. These results suggest that the adjunctive use of NGA-CNPs can increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy in breast cancer treatment by lowering the radiation doses required to kill cancer cells and thereby minimizing collateral damage to healthy adjacent tissue.

Enhancement of radiosensitization by metal-based nanoparticles in cancer radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy performs an important function in cancer treatment. However, resistance of tumor cells to radiation therapy still remains a serious concern, so the study of radiosensitizers has emerged as a persistent hotspot in radiation oncology. Along with the rapid advancement of nanotechnology in recent years, the potential value of nanoparticles as novel radiosensitizers has been discovered. This review summarizes the latest experimental findings both in vitro and in vivo and attempts to highlight the underlying mechanisms of response in nanoparticle radiosensitization.

Development of serum zinc as a biological dosimeter in mice.

PURPOSE: To develop a new biological dosimeter based on serum zinc concentration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male mice (8 weeks old) were exposed to different doses (0, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 Gy) of gamma rays from a (60)Co source. Blood was then collected from the orbital area of these mice, and the serum zinc concentration was detected using the 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol colorimetric method. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The serum zinc concentration in the irradiated mice decreased with increasing dose. Two dose-response relationships fitted to the linear quadratic curve were obtained: One immediately after exposure (y = 0.010x(2) - 0.133x + 0.663, r = 0.983) and the other on the seventh day after exposure (y = 0.008x(2) - 0.127x + 0.695, r = 0.990). The serum zinc concentration continued to decrease until 21 days after exposure. The absorbed doses estimated using both dose-response relationships were close to the actual doses. CONCLUSIONS: Serum zinc is a quick, effective, and sensitive biomarker for early biological doses assessment of mice irradiated by gamma radiation.