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 capping 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 Glucose- Sucrose) was explored in human epitheloid 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, suggests 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 1 hr of incubation; conversely the lowest concentration of Ag NP-GS number/cell, surprisingly, is able to induce cell proliferation.