UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones
August 2013
Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for
Photothermal Therapy of Human Glioma Spheroids
Suyog Jung Chhetri
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations
Part of the Biophysics Commons, and the Oncology Commons
Repository Citation
Chhetri, Suyog Jung, "Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Therapy of
Human Glioma Spheroids" (2013). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones.
2821.
http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/9419961
This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV
with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the
copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from
the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/
or on the work itself.
This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by
an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact
.
,EFFICACY OF GOLD SILICA NANOSHELLS AND GOLD NANORODS FOR
PHOTOTHERMAL THERAPY OF HUMAN GLIOMA SPHEROIDS
By
Suyog Chhetri
Bachelor of Science in Radiological Health Science
Purdue University, West Lafayette
2009
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the
Master of Science in Health Physics
Department of Health Physics
School of Allied health Sciences
The Graduate College
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
August 2013
,THE GRADUATE COLLEGE
We recommend the thesis prepared under our supervision by
Suyog Chhetri
entitled
Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Therapy of
Human Glioma Spheroids
be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science – Health Physics
Department of Health Physics
Steen J. Madsen, Ph.D., Committee Chair
Ralf Sudowe, Ph.D., Committee Member
Gary Cerefice, Ph.D., Committee Member
Patricia T. Alpert, Ph.D., Graduate College Representative
Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the Graduate College
August 2013
ii
, ABSTRACT
Efficacy of Gold Silica nanoshells and Gold NanoABSTrods for
Photothermal Therapy of Human Glioma Spheroids
By
Suyog J. Chhetri
Dr. Steen Madsen, Examination Committee Chair
Chair, Professor of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Gold-based nanoparticles including gold-silica nano-spheres and gold nano-rods
have been investigated for a number of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The
ability of these nanoparticles to convert light into heat energy makes them particularly
appealing for photothermal therapy in which cancer cells are destroyed via light-induced
heat generation. The overall objective of the study is to compare the efficacy of gold-
silica nano-spheres and gold nano-rods in an in vitro system consisting of human brain
tumor (glioma) spheroids.
Delivery of the nanoparticles to the spheroids was accomplished using murine
macrophages. Nanoparticles (spheres or rods) were incubated with macrophages for 24
hours. Thereafter, nanoparticle-loaded macrophages were combined with human glioma
cells and centrifuged in order to create a hybrid spheroid. Approximately 48 hours post
centrifugation, the resultant 400 µm dia. spheroids were exposed to 808 nm laser light for
10 min at irradiances of 2, 7, 14 and 28 W cm-2. Treatment efficacy was evaluated from
spheroid growth kinetics over a 14-day period.
Gold nanoshells were shown to have greater efficacy compared to gold nanorods.
For example, hybrid spheroids consisting of a 5:1 ratio of glioma cells to nanosphere-
iii
August 2013
Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for
Photothermal Therapy of Human Glioma Spheroids
Suyog Jung Chhetri
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations
Part of the Biophysics Commons, and the Oncology Commons
Repository Citation
Chhetri, Suyog Jung, "Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Therapy of
Human Glioma Spheroids" (2013). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones.
2821.
http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/9419961
This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV
with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the
copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from
the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/
or on the work itself.
This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by
an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact
.
,EFFICACY OF GOLD SILICA NANOSHELLS AND GOLD NANORODS FOR
PHOTOTHERMAL THERAPY OF HUMAN GLIOMA SPHEROIDS
By
Suyog Chhetri
Bachelor of Science in Radiological Health Science
Purdue University, West Lafayette
2009
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the
Master of Science in Health Physics
Department of Health Physics
School of Allied health Sciences
The Graduate College
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
August 2013
,THE GRADUATE COLLEGE
We recommend the thesis prepared under our supervision by
Suyog Chhetri
entitled
Efficacy of Gold Silica Nanoshells and Gold Nanorods for Photothermal Therapy of
Human Glioma Spheroids
be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science – Health Physics
Department of Health Physics
Steen J. Madsen, Ph.D., Committee Chair
Ralf Sudowe, Ph.D., Committee Member
Gary Cerefice, Ph.D., Committee Member
Patricia T. Alpert, Ph.D., Graduate College Representative
Kathryn Hausbeck Korgan, Ph.D., Interim Dean of the Graduate College
August 2013
ii
, ABSTRACT
Efficacy of Gold Silica nanoshells and Gold NanoABSTrods for
Photothermal Therapy of Human Glioma Spheroids
By
Suyog J. Chhetri
Dr. Steen Madsen, Examination Committee Chair
Chair, Professor of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Gold-based nanoparticles including gold-silica nano-spheres and gold nano-rods
have been investigated for a number of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The
ability of these nanoparticles to convert light into heat energy makes them particularly
appealing for photothermal therapy in which cancer cells are destroyed via light-induced
heat generation. The overall objective of the study is to compare the efficacy of gold-
silica nano-spheres and gold nano-rods in an in vitro system consisting of human brain
tumor (glioma) spheroids.
Delivery of the nanoparticles to the spheroids was accomplished using murine
macrophages. Nanoparticles (spheres or rods) were incubated with macrophages for 24
hours. Thereafter, nanoparticle-loaded macrophages were combined with human glioma
cells and centrifuged in order to create a hybrid spheroid. Approximately 48 hours post
centrifugation, the resultant 400 µm dia. spheroids were exposed to 808 nm laser light for
10 min at irradiances of 2, 7, 14 and 28 W cm-2. Treatment efficacy was evaluated from
spheroid growth kinetics over a 14-day period.
Gold nanoshells were shown to have greater efficacy compared to gold nanorods.
For example, hybrid spheroids consisting of a 5:1 ratio of glioma cells to nanosphere-
iii
