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Nanocristalline zeolite scaffolds preparation for cancer cell adhesion, viability and drug
treatment
P. Tavolaro1, S. Catalano2, G. Martino3 and A. Tavolaro2
1 University
of Calabria, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, I-87036
Rende (CS), Italy
2 Research Institute on Membrane Technology, National Research Council of Italy, ITM-CNR, c/o
University of Calabria, Via Bucci cubo 17/c, I-87036 Rende, Italy
3 University of Calabria, Department Di.B.E.S.T. (Biologia, Ecologia, Scienze della Terra), Unit of
Physiology, Cubo 4/c, 87036, Rende, Italy
[email protected]
Abstract Zeolites due to their low toxicity and high compatibility are considered new biomaterials
for medical applications and they can be used in different conformation as pure and hybrid
membranes. Their growing applicability is connected with the presence of cavities and channels
in structures, which allow to the chemical species guests to flow interacting with molecules and
organic structures [1-3] as well as with non-modify human cells [4-5] together with the possibility
to change framework, hydrophilicity, crystal size, chemical composition, acid-base characteristics
and surface morphology. Our research it was directed to prepare N-Sil-1 and G-Sil-2 pure and
hybrid zeolite membranes with different percentage of zeolite crystals (5%, 35%, 70%, 80%) and
polylactic acid polymer. We have selected the MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line as a
model tumor cell line since breast cancer is the most common neoplastic disease [6]. Since
doxorubicin (DOX) is a naturally occurring anthracycline antibiotic which is an essential
component of many treatment regimens for solid and blood tumors, and it is broadly considered
the most active single agent available for the treatment of breast cancer [7], we have treated
MDA-MB-231 with DOX (4µg/mL) in order to assess the influence of zeolites on cell growth,
proliferation and metastatic activity.
All pure and hybrid zeolite membranes by were characterized scanning electron microscopy
(FESEM), infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR and FTIR ATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic
force microscopy (AFM), Point of Zero Charge (PZC) and contact angle analyses. MDA-MB-231
cells were cultured with a density of 1x105 cell/ml. Scanning electron microscopy (FESEM)
analysis has evidenced various morphology changes of the cells attached on various zeolite
membranes as a result of the different chemical-physics properties and structural features of the
synthesized scaffolds. In particular, the cells take squeezing globe-shaped if are grown on N-Sil-1
zeolite membranes while take polymorphic shape on G-Sil-2 pure zeolite membranes. MTT tests
indicated that MDA-MB-231 cell viability is better on mixed matrix membranes respect to pure
zeolite membranes. The results evidence that DOX inhibits cell viability of MDA-MB-231 grown on
all zeolite membranes and MTT test shows that pure zeolite membranes are more responsive
with respect to hybrid scaffolds and that N-Sil-1 is more responsive with respect to G-Sil-2.
References
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