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Radiosensitizing Effect of Gold Nanoparticles Stabilized with Sodium Citrate and Thioglycolic Acid on MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 Breast Cancer Cells

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Gold nanoparticles have been increasingly investigated as potential radiosensitizing agents for the treatment of breast cancer. In the present study, gold nanoparticles stabilized with sodium citrate and thioglycolic acid (AuNP-Cit-TGA) were synthesized to assess their radiosensitizing effects on MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 breast cancer cells after X-ray exposure. The AuNP-Cit-TGA nanoparticles displayed an average diameter of 22 nm, showcasing extremely low hemolytic activity in vitro, along with a moderate rate of cellular uptake by breast cancer cells. The uptake of AuNP-Cit-TGA notably decreases cell viability in both cell lines 48 hours after exposure to a radiation dose of 6 Gy, as demonstrated by the Alamar Blue assay. This decrease was associated with heightened oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased DCFH fluorescence measured 24 hours following a 2 Gy exposure. Remarkably, the uptake of AuNP-Cit-TGA enhances the occurrence of single-strand DNA breaks in MCF7 cells by nearly double when compared to radiation treatment alone; however, this effect was not statistically significant in MDA-MB-231 cells. Despite this, residual γH2AX and 53BP1 foci caused by ionizing radiation were observed in both cell lines, revealing ongoing unrepaired DNA double-strand breaks and genomic instability connected to the uptake of nanoparticles by cells. Collectively, these findings provide valuable insights into the application of AuNP-Cit-TGA as an effective radiosensitizing agent in breast cancer radiotherapy.

Source: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/ijms27198632