Title
Ferritin nanocages loaded with gold ions induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells
Author
Daria Maria Monti, Giarita Ferraro, Ganna Petruk, Laura Maiore, Francesca Pane, Angela Amoresano, Maria Agostina Cinellu, Antonello Merlino
Year
2017
Journal
Dalton Transactions
Abstract
Two anticancer gold(III) compounds, Au2phen and Auoxo4, were encapsulated within a ferritin nanocage. The gold-compound loaded proteins were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and circular dichroism. X-ray crystallography shows that the compounds degrade upon encapsulation and gold(I) ions bind Ft within the cage, close to the side chains of Cys126. The gold-encapsulated nanocarriers are cytotoxic to human cancer cells. Au(I)-loaded Ft, obtained upon the encapsulation of Au2phen within the cage, induces oxidative stress activation, which finally leads to apoptosis in MCF-7 cells.
Instrument
J-815
Keywords
Circular dichroism, Secondary structure, Nanostructures, Biochemistry, Materials