Investigation of platinum nanoparticle properties against U87 glioblastoma multiforme

Gliomas are the most aggressive and common primary tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). Many side effects of drugs containing platinum and their poor penetration of the CNS are major drawbacks in glioma therapy. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare the toxicity of platinum nanoparticles and cisplatin and their anticancer properties in examination with a U87 glioma cell line and tumor.

Nanoparticles of platinum (NP-Pt) and cisplatin were incubated with U87 glioma cells or injected directly into tumor tissue. The biological properties of NP-Pt and cisplatin were compared through the morphology, viability, mortality, genotoxicity and the type of cell death of U87 glioma cells, the morphology and ultrastructure of glioma tumor, and expression of caspase-3, p53 and PCNA mRNA.

NP-Pt at concentrations of 0.14 µM/ml, 0.29 µM/ml and 0.65 µM/ml had a harmful influence on viability of U87 glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells, but also showed genotoxic properties as well as a pro-apoptotic effect on cancer cells. It was found that NP-Pt decreased the weight and volume of U87 GBM tumor tissue and caused pathomorphological changes in the ultrastructure and morphology of tumor tissue, but they also upregulated p53 and caspase-3 mRNA expression.

The comparison between the effectiveness of glioblastoma treatment by NP-Pt vs cisplatin showed promising results for future studies. The results indicate that the properties of NP-Pt might be utilized for brain cancer therapy.