Investigating the application of theranostic nanosystem based on bismuth oxide nanoparticles coated with cyclodextrin in computed tomography imaging

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women and one of the main causes of death in human societies. Using nanoparticles as contrast agents in CT imaging leads to more accurate detection of tumors. On the other hand, radiation therapy, which is one of the common treatment methods for this disease, is usually performed after surgery along with chemotherapy. Using nanoparticles that increase oxidative stress and ultimately cell damage through selective distribution can improve the efficiency of radiation therapy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of diagnostic-therapeutic nanosystem Bi2O3@PCD/CUR-Glu as a radiation sensitizer in radiation therapy and also as a contrast agent in CT imaging of SKBr-3 breast cancer cells. Materials and methods: First, Bi2O3 nanoparticles coated with cyclodextrin were synthesized, and then glucose binding and curcumin loading were done on them. After that, the nanoparticles' physical and chemical properties were evaluated by FT-IR, TEM, DLS, and XRD techniques. Blood biocompatibility was checked by Hemolysis test. In order to measure the synergistic effect of synthesized nanosystems and X-ray, MTT, uptake, ROS, and scratch tests were used. Also, the tests related to checking the contrast generation of nanoparticles in CT imaging were performed on the phantom and the cell. Results: TEM and zeta potential analyses show spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of 80 nm with a surface charge of -7.86 mv. MTT assay on the SKBr-3 breast cancer cell line showed that Bi2O3@PCD/CUR-Glu nanocomplex has a significantly higher toxicity than curcumin alone. Simultaneous treatment with nanoparticles and X-rays led to a significant increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and inhibited tumor growth. Also, CT imaging showed that the X-ray absorption capacity of the synthesized nanostructure was higher than the commercial Omnipaque contrast material.