Effects of Uptake of Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles into Hepatoma Cells on Cell Adhesion and Proliferation

Abstract EN

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nano-HAPs) were prepared by homogeneous precipitation, and size distribution and morphology of these nanoparticles were determined by laser particle analysis and transmission electron microscopy, respectively.

Nano-HAPs were uniformly distributed, with rod-like shapes sizes ranging from 44.6 to 86.8 nm.

Attached overnight, suspended, and proliferating Bel-7402 cells were repeatedly incubated with nano-HAPs.

Inverted microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy were used to observe the cell adhesion and growth, the culture medium containing nano-HAPs, the cell ultrastructure, and intracellular Ca2+ labeled with a fluo-3 calcium fluorescent probe.

The results showed that nano-HAPs inhibited proliferation of Bel-7402 cells and, caused an obvious increase in the concentration of intracellular Ca2+, along with significant changes in the cell ultrastructure.

Moreover, nano-HAPs led suspended cells and proliferating cells after trypsinized that did not attach to the bottom of the culture bottle died.

Nano-HAPs continuously entered these cells.

Attached, suspended, and proliferating cells endocytosed nano-HAPs, and nanoparticle-filled vesicles were in the cytoplasm.

Therefore, hepatoma cellular uptake of nano-HAPs through endocytosis was very active and occurred continuously.

Nano-HAPs affected proliferation and adhesion of hepatoma cells probably because uptake of nano-HAPs blocked integrin-mediated cell adhesion, which may have potential significance in inhibiting metastatic cancer cells to their target organ.