Poster T7 - Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) and Chitosan Conjugate Induced Apoptosis on HeLa Cells

Introduction: One major issue in oncology is the resilience of cervical cancer cells to traditional treatment. Because of their high-water content and biocompatibility, hydrogels show great promise as delivery systems for targeted cancer treatment. This work investigates the effectiveness of a novel cytotoxic hydrogel for inducing apoptosis in HeLa cells, which is made up of conjugates of chitosan and TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL).

Materials and

Methods: HeLa cells were cultured in six-well plates until confluent. A 2% chitosan solution was made, neutralized, and combined with TRAIL to create a TRAIL chitosan conjugate. This hydrogel was added to the wells: Well 1 (control with HeLa only), Well 2 (TRAIL only), Wells 3-5 (varied TRAIL-chitosan doses), and Well 6 (chitosan control). Cells were observed over 72 hours; an LDH assay then measured cytotoxicity.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: The treated HeLa cells showed a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis, according to our findings. Less morphological alterations suggestive of apoptosis and a moderate decrease in cell viability were observed in the low dose group. The morphological alterations and cell viability loss were more noticeable in the medium dose group. The group that received the highest dose had notable changes in morphology, the greatest release of LDH, and the lowest viability of cells.
The ability to adjust the dosage to attain intended therapeutic results while minimizing impacts on non-targeted cells implies that TRAIL encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles presents a potential pathway for the creation of more potent and less harmful cancer therapies.

Acknowledgements (Optional): This work was supported by the UNewHaven’s Biomaterials and Medical Device Lab (BMDilab), Tagliatela College of Engineering.