Effects of chitosan-stabilized selenium nanoparticles on cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle pattern in HepG2 cells: Comparison with other selenospecies

- A systematic comparison of the effect of Ch-SeNPs vs. other selenocompounds on hepatocarcinoma cells in terms of proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle pattern has been carried out.
- Cells exposed to Se(VI), seleno methylselenocysteine and selenomethionine do not exhibit a different behavior as compared to control cells at the tested concentrations.
- Se(IV) induce a significant degree of apoptosis proving to be the most toxic selenospecies assayed.
- Ch-SeNPs and selenocystine exposure induced a cell cycle arrest at the S-G2/M phase.
- Ch-SeNPs showed a unique potential for targeting mitosis by partially inhibiting the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1).