Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxicity of glycans-capped silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Silver nanostructures were successfully synthesized through a simple and "green" method using saccharides as reducing and caping agent. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis absorption were used to certify the quality of the silver nanoparticles obtained: firstly, size and dispersion. In this work Silver NanoParticles (AgNPs) cytotoxicity related to saccharides capping (Glucose and (GlucoseSucrose) was explored in human epithelia cervix carcinoma cells (HeLa). The cells were incubated with increasing AgNPs number/cell and HeLa cells viability was monitored for a period of 48 h compared with the positive and negative controls. We observed that the toxicity increases with incubation time and with AgNPs number/cell. In particular, the different cytotoxic degree of the AgNPs, i.e. AgNP-G are more toxic than AgNP-GS, suggest that the cytotoxic effects are largely depended on the capping agent. The highest concentration of AgNP-G number/cell is able to induce extensive cell death of HeLa cells soon after 1hr of incubation; conversely the lowest concentration of AgNP-GS number/cell, surprisingly, is able to induce cell proliferation.