DOI: 10.5176/2251-2489_BioTech16.7
Authors: K Naicker, S Singh, and M Singh
Abstract: Hydroxyapatites (HAp) are calcium phosphate salts similar in composition to that of mammalian bone and the dentin mineral compartment. The current study focussed on the synthesis of HAp and chitosan functionalized HAp (CHAp) nanoparticles (NPs), as potential carriers of DNA into two mammalian cell lines. HAp/CHAp NPs (Ca/P ratio = 1.67), prepared by a co-precipitation method, were characterized for morphology, particle size distribution, ζ- potential, structure, and DNA association. DNA loaded HAp/CHAp NPs were assessed for their antiproliferative effect on a normal human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293) and the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29) in vitro, as well as, their ability to transfect. DNANPs displayed short rods at 80.81 ± 6.04 nm (HAp) and 141.22 ± 9.01 nm (CHAp), –ve ζ-potential (-7.04 ± 0.84 mV HAp) and +ve ζ-potential (+5.78 ± 0.45 mV CHAp). Good complex formation and compaction of DNA was evidenced by electrophoretic profiles, DCF adsorption, thermal stability, EtBr dye displacement, and digestion assays. HAp and CHAp NPs were well tolerated by the cells with toxicity being minimal (<50{6e6090cdd558c53a8bc18225ef4499fead9160abd3419ad4f137e902b483c465}), thus proving their biocompatibility in vitro. Both HAp and CHAp NPs produced the highest transfection at 100:1 w/w ratios in both cell lines. The current study shows that these chitosan-based bioceramic NPs may serve as promising, safe, and effective delivery vehicles in cancer therapeutics.
Keywords: Hydroxyapatite, Chitosan, Gene delivery, Cancer
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