Silver nanoparticles enhance the sensitivity of temozolomide on human glioma cells

// Ping Liang 1 , Hongming Shi 1 , Weiguo Zhu 1 , Qunfeng Gui 1 , Ya Xu 1 , Jianfeng Meng 1 , Xiaoyuan Guo 2 , Zhuang Gong 3 , Huaqun Chen 1 1 Department of Neurology, Yancheng Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Yancheng, 224001, China 2 Department of Neurology, Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China 3 Department of Nephrology, The First People’s Hospital of Yancheng Affiliated to Nantong University, Yancheng, 224001, China Correspondence to: Huaqun Chen, email: drliangping@126.com Keywords: silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), glioma cells, temozolomide (TMZ), chemotherapy Received: August 20, 2016      Accepted: November 07, 2016      Published: November 22, 2016 ABSTRACT Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) continues to be associated with a dismal prognosis despite aggressive treatment. Significant efforts are being made to develop new nanotechnology-based therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Nanoparticles can act directly on cancer cells or as drug carriers to enhance the cancer therapeutic effect. In this study, we investigated the effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on human glioma U251 cells and its role in the combinational use with Temozolomide (TMZ), an imidazotetrazine derivative of the alkylating agent dacarbazine, against glioma cells. AgNPs were synthesized in the sodium citrate system and the mean size were 26 nm in diameter. The AgNP particles showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity on U251 cells. They also showed the ability to enhance the drug-sensitivity of TMZ on U251 cells. Our results revealed that AgNPs could have a potential application in enhancing chemotherapy for glioma.