Evaluation of the Therapeutic Effect of 6-MV X-Ray Radiation on HeLa Cells, in the Presence of Nanoparticles

Today, the use of a combination methods to increase the effectiveness of treatment is considered very much. One of these methods is the use of X-rays in the presence of nanoparticles. In this study, the effect of 6-MV X-ray radiation on the viability of HeLa cells, in the presence of gold nanoparticles, was investigated.
HeLa cells were cultured and divided in four groups including control, gold nanoparticle, X-ray, and X-ray in presence of gold nanoparticle. In the gold nanoparticle group, the cells were incubated with 0.2, 1, and 5 μg/ml for 24 hours. In the X-ray group, the cells were exposed to X-ray with energy of 6 MV, and doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 Gy. In the group of X-ray in presence of nanoparticles, the cells were first incubated with nanoparticles for 24 hours, and then exposed to X-ray radiation under the same conditions. The viability of cells was measured using MTT assay at 24 and 48 hours after the intervention.
Findings: In the group of X-ray in the presence of nanoparticles, the viability of the HeLa cells reduced up to 50% at both 24 and 48 hours, in different concentrations. With the increase in concentration in a certain dose, cell survival could change up to 15%, but dose change was only significant in 2 Gy compared to other doses.
The viability of the HeLa cells during X-ray radiation, in the presence of gold nanoparticles, has a significant reduction. It can be concluded that simultaneous use of gold nanoparticles and X-ray increases cell death.