Novel photothermal therapy using platinum nanoparticles in synergy with near-infrared radiation (NIR) against human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line

Abstract

Nanotechnology has demonstrated the ability to produce anti-cancer nanoparticles in an environmentally friendly method. This study demonstrates the use of photothermal therapy (PTT) in treating the MCF-7 cell line in a concentration and time-dependent manner. In this study, the MTT assay was employed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) synthesized through green chemistry using two aqueous extracts of Ziziphus spina christi and Cordia myxa L. leaves in synergy with near-infrared radiation (NIR) against MCF-7 cells. Our results demonstrated a higher inhibition of Pt-NPs prepared from Cordia myxa L. leaf extract against MCF-7 cells compared to Ziziphus spina christiin leaf extract. Furthermore, the acridine orange- propidium iodide assay showed the ability of Pt-NPs to convert NIR at 808 nm to sufficient local heat to induce an apoptosis pathway in the MCF-7 cells. Where, the temperature was recorded at 47 ◦C with a cytotoxicity of about 78 % at the highest concentration (40 µg/mL) and at an irradiation time of 120 sec. Taken together, the radiation was found to enhance the properties of Pt-NPs as an anti-cancer agent against MCF-7 cells by converting absorbed light into heat in a short time.