SR-FTIR spectro-microscopic interaction study of biochemical changes in HeLa cells induced by Levan-C, Pullulan-C, and their cholesterol-derivatives.

Objects of the present study are improved fullerene C drug carrier properties trough encapsulation by microbial polysaccharides, levan (LEV), pullulan (PUL), and their hydrophobized cholesterol-derivatives (CHL and CHP), that show better interaction with cancer cells. The zeta potential, polydispersity index, and the diameter of particles were determined, and their cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines were tested. Biochemical changes in HeLa cells are analyzed by synchrotron radiation (SR) FTIR spectro-microscopy combined with the principal component analysis (PCA). The most significant changes occur in HeLa cells treated with LEV-C and correspond to the changes in the protein region, i.e. Amide I band, and the changes in the structure of lipid bodies and membrane fluidity are evident. The highest cytotoxicity was also induced by LEV-C. In HeLa cells, cytotoxicity could not be strictly associated with biochemical changes in lipids, proteins and nucleic acids, but these findings are significant contribution to the study of the mechanism of interaction of C-based nanoparticles with cellular biomolecules. In conclusion, LEV, PUL, CHL, and CHP enhanced fullerene C potential to be used as target drug delivery system with the ability to induce specific intracellular changes in HeLa cancer cells.