Application of Oil-in-Water Nanoemulsion Carrying Size-Defined Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized by Non-thermal Plasma for the Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines Migration and Apoptosis
Anna Dzimitrowicz, Aleksandra Bielawska‐Pohl, Paweł Pohl, Dorota Jermakowicz‐Bartkowiak, Piotr Jamróz, Magdalena Malik, Aleksandra Klimczak, Piotr Cyganowski
Abstract
Abstract In this work, the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using pulse-modulated radio-frequency atmospheric pressure glow discharge (pm-rf-APGD). By tailoring selected operating parameters of the pm-rf-APGD reaction-discharge system, the experimental conditions for the synthesis of raw-AuNPs with controlled optical and structural properties were found. The colloidal suspension of the size-controlled raw-AuNPs was mixed with an aqueous solution of gelatine and turmeric oil to produce an oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion. AuNPs loaded into the nanoemulsion were characterized using ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy supported by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy equipped with selected area X-ray diffraction. Additionally, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the efficient functionalization of the AuNPs by nanoemulsion component. It was revealed that AuNPs were mostly spherical with an average size of 4.6 ± 1.0 nm and a face-centered cubic crystal system. The developed O/W nanoemulsion carrying AuNPs was applied towards the human breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231. It was found that it exhibited the cytotoxicity towards the breast cancer cells while were non-cytotoxic towards the non-tumour breast cells MCF10A. Moreover, it also inhibited the migration of the invasive cancer breast cells (line MDA-MB-231) and hence, could prevent the breast cancer metastasis.