Photosensitizer effects of MWCNTs-COOH particles on CT26 fibroblastic cells exposed to laser irradiation

Abstract

In the current study, photosensitizer effect of carboxylate multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) on CT26 fibroblastic cells following near infrared (NIR) irradiation was quantized in photo-thermal therapy (PTT). Moreover, it was tried to achieve optimal dose of MWCNTs-COOH and laser exposure time. Characterizations of MWCNTs-COOH were scrutinized using scanner electron microscope (SEM), spectrophotometer, and particle size analyzer. The seeded CT26 cells were treated with nontoxic concentrations of MWCNTs-COOH and then irradiated. Finally, viability (%) of the CT26 cells was determined using MTT assay. The findings revealed that 10, 50, and 80 μg/mL of MWCNTs-COOH have remarkable photosensitizer effects on CT26 cancerous cell lines against NIR irradiation (2.5 W/cm²). It was shown that using the 80 μg/mL concentration of MWCNTs-COOH against 60, 120, 180, 240, and 300 s of NIR irradiation and also, 10 and 50 μg/mL concentration of MWCNTs-COOH against 180, 240, and 300 s of NIR irradiation can lead to significant decrease in mean cell viability (%) by more than 50%. According to the obtained data, it seems that using the PPT with MWCNTs-COOH, as adjunct therapy in CT26 fibroblastic cells, can help to increase therapeutic ratio of main modalities of cancer treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.

Keywords: CT26 cells; NIR irradiation; Photothermal-therapy; carboxylate muli-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH); photosensitizer.