Effects of gold nanorods modified with antiepidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody on laryngeal cancer cells

We aimed to evaluate the photothermal effects of gold nanorods (GNRs) modified with antiepidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody (mAb) on laryngeal cancer cells. EGFR protein expressions in HEP-2 cells, and normal laryngeal epithelial and laryngeal cancer tissues were detected by western blot. The cytotoxicity against HEP-2 and BEAS-2B cells was tested by MTT assay, and the photothermal effects were assessed by near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The apoptosis of HEP-2 cells was detected by flow cytometry. EGFR expression in laryngeal cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P < 0.05). The inhibitory effects of GNRs and anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs on the apoptosis of HEP-2 and BEAS-2B cells were enhanced with increasing dose. Anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs were more cytotoxic to HEP-2 cells and less cytotoxic to BEAS-2B cells than GNRs. NIR irradiation inhibited cell proliferation, which was enhanced with rising power, accompanied by continuously dropping survival rate. The apoptosis rate of the anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs group was significantly higher than that of the GNRs group, and the apoptosis rate of the irradiation + anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs group also significantly exceeded that of the irradiation + GNRs group (P < 0.05). Anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs promoted HEP-2 cell apoptosis more evidently than GNRs did. Functional modification of GNRs augmented the targeted specificity to cancer cells, biocompatibility, and stability. Anti-EGFR mAb/GNRs have great potential in biomedical fields.