Abstract
Development of drug delivery system conjugated with doxorubicin (dox) on the surface of AuNPs with polyvinylpyrrolidone (Dox@PVP-AuNPs), we have demonstrated that human lung cancer cells can significantly overcome by the combination of highly effective cellular entry and responsive intracellular release of doxorubicin from Dox@PVP-AuNPs complex. Previously drug release from doxorubicin-conjugated AuNPs was confirmed by the recovered fluorescence of doxorubicin from quenching due to the nanosurface energy transfer between doxorubicinyl groups and AuNPs. Dox@PVP-AuNPs achieved enhanced inhibition of lung cancer cells growth than free Doxorubicin and PVP-AuNPs. The in vitro cytotoxic effect of PVP-AuNPs, free Dox and Dox@PVP-AuNPs inhibited the proliferation of human lung cancer cells with IC(50) concentration. Compared with control cells, PVP-AuNPs and free Dox, Dox@PVP-AuNPs can increases ROS generation, sensitize mitochondrial membrane potential and induces both early and late apoptosis in lung cancer cells. Moreover, Dox@PVP-AuNPs highly upregulates the expression of tumor suppressor genes than free Dox and PVP-AuNPs and induces intrinsic apoptosis in lung cancer cells. From the results, Dox@PVP-AuNPs can be considered as an potential drug delivery system for effective treatment of human lung cancer.