Targeted sonocatalytic cancer cell injury using avidin-conjugated titanium dioxide nanoparticles

•Targeted sonodynamic treatment using titanium dioxide nanoparticles was suggested.•The nanoparticles were modified with avidin which selectively recognizes cancer cells.•About 30% of normal breast cells exhibited uptake of avidin-modified nanoparticles.•Over 80% of the breast cancer cells exhibited uptake of avidin-modified nanoparticles.•The targeted sonodynamic treatment suppressed cancer cell growth by 68%.

In this study, we applied sonodynamic therapy to cancer cells based on the delivery of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) modified with avidin protein, which preferentially discriminated cancerous cells from healthy cells. Subsequently, hydroxyl radicals were generated from the TiO2 NPs after activation by external ultrasound irradiation (TiO2/US treatment). Although 30% of the normal breast cells (human mammary epithelial cells) exhibited the uptake of avidin-modified TiO2 NPs, over 80% of the breast cancer cells (MCF-7) exhibited the uptake of avidin-TiO2 NPs. Next the effect of the TiO2/US treatment on MCF-7 cell growth was examined for up to 96 h after 1-MHz ultrasound was applied (0.1 W/cm2, 30 s) to cells that incorporated the TiO2 NPs. No apparent cell injury was observed until 24 h after the treatment, but the viable cell concentration declined to 68% compared with the control at 96 h.