Scientific Reports (Feb 2023)

Triphenylphosphonium conjugated gold nanotriangles impact Pi3K/AKT pathway in breast cancer cells: a photodynamic therapy approach

  • Nadar Manimaran Vinita,
  • Umapathy Devan,
  • Sabapathi Durgadevi,
  • Selvaraj Anitha,
  • Dhamodharan Prabhu,
  • Sundarraj Rajamanikandan,
  • Muthusamy Govarthanan,
  • Ananthanarayanan Yuvaraj,
  • Muniyandi Biruntha,
  • Arockiam Antony Joseph Velanganni,
  • Jeyaraman Jeyakanthan,
  • Pitchan Arul Prakash,
  • Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Jaabir,
  • Ponnuchamy Kumar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28678-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Abstract Although gold nanoparticles based photodynamic therapy (PDT) were reported to improve efficacy and specificity, the impact of surface charge in targeting cancer is still a challenge. Herein, we report gold nanotriangles (AuNTs) tuned with anionic and cationic surface charge conjugating triphenylphosphonium (TPP) targeting breast cancer cells with 5-aminoleuvinic acid (5-ALA) based PDT, in vitro. Optimized surface charge of AuNTs with and without TPP kill breast cancer cells. By combining, 5-ALA and PDT, the surface charge augmented AuNTs deliver improved cellular toxicity as revealed by MTT, fluorescent probes and flow cytometry. Further, the 5-ALA and PDT treatment in the presence of AuNTs impairs cell survival Pi3K/AKT signaling pathway causing mitochondrial dependent apoptosis. The cumulative findings demonstrate that, cationic AuNTs with TPP excel selective targeting of breast cancer cells in the presence of 5-ALA and PDT.