It has been demonstrated that hadron cancer therapy can be amplified by simultaneous application of NP-Pt, resulting in the production of hydroxyl radicals causing lethal DNA damage by double-strand breaks [14]. Furthermore, DNA damage could also be induced by the attack of OH groups linked with NP-Pt on DNA phosphate groups [2]. NP-Pt can also cause cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis through the release of Pt2+ ions from the nanoparticles as a result of H2O2 generation due to the low pH in endosomes [1]. It was also demonstrated that DNA double-strand breaks are caused by Pt2+ ions formed during Selleck BMS345541 the incubation of NP-Pt with cancer cells

[15]. However, the consequences of introducing NP-Pt into an organism are still not well documented, especially when even very small amounts

of nanoparticles or released ions may overcome the blood–brain barrier (BBB), enter the brain tissue, and affect Selleck SP600125 the BBB and brain function. It has also been reported that various types of nanoparticles, in different sizes from 20 to 300 nm and produced from different materials, may cause cell death by apoptosis in the brain tissue [16]. In the present study, we hypothesized that NP-Pt may affect the growth and development of embryos and, furthermore, can cross the BBB and penetrate the brain tissue, affecting brain morphology. Consequently, the objective of this preliminary work was to investigate the effects of NP-Pt on embryo growth and development with an emphasis on brain morphology, concerning their potential applicability in brain cancer therapy. Methods Nanoparticles Hydrocolloids of NP-Pt were obtained from Nano-Tech

Polska (Warsaw, Poland). They were produced by a patented electric nonexplosive method [17] from high purity metal (99.9999%) and high purity demineralized water. The shape and size of the nanoparticles were Ribonucleotide reductase inspected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using a JEOL JEM-1220 TE microscope at 80 KeV (JEOL Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), with a Morada 11 megapixel camera (Olympus Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) (Figure 1). The diameters of the Pt particles ranged from 2 to 19 nm. A sample of Pt for TEM was prepared by placing see more droplets of the hydrocolloids onto Formvar-coated copper grids (Agar Scientific Ltd., Stansted, UK). Immediately after drying the droplets in dry air, the grids were inserted into the TE microscope (Figure 1). The zeta potential of the nanoparticle hydrocolloids was measured by electrophoretic light-scattering method, using a Zetasizer Nano-ZS90 (Malvern, Worcestershire, UK). Each sample was measured after 120 s of stabilization at 25°C in 20 replicates. The mean zeta potential of the Pt nanoparticles was −9.6 mV. Figure 1 TEM image of platinum nanoparticles. Bar scale 100 nm.