Antitumor effect of N-succinyl-chitosan nanoparticles on K562 cells

Polymer nanoparticles have become attractive for its prominent property recent years. In this paper, antitumor effects of N-succinyl-chitosan nanoparticles (NSCNP), a nanoparticles derivated from chitosan, were evaluated in K562 cells, including cell viability comparison, cell morphology analysis, DNA fragmentation detection, cell surface potential and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) measurement, intracellular ROS and Ca²⁺ concentration evaluation. Our results revealed NSCNP could inhibit the proliferation of K562 with an IC₅₀ of 14.26 μg/ml (24 h); decrease the zeta potential; disrupt the mitochondrial membrane potential; increase ROS generation and Ca²⁺ concentration. Cytomorphology study and DNA fragment analysis reveal characteristics of apoptosis and necrosis, indicating that the antitumor effect of NSCNP achieved by necrosis and apoptosis induction in K562 cells.