Monodispersed lysozyme-functionalized bioactive glass nanoparticles with antibacterial and anticancer activities

In this study, highly monodispersed spherical bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGS) with a particle size of 408 ± 36 nm were synthesized using a modified Stöber method. The BGS was then functionalized with lysozyme (LY) via a simple electrostatic interaction routine under selected conditions. The LY-functionalized BGS (LY-BGS) exhibited monodispersity, spherical morphology and homogeneity in size. The incorporated content of LY could be tailored conveniently by adjusting the initial concentration of the LY precursor for functionalization. Hydroxyapatite (HA) formed on the LY-BGS after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 7 d, but the formation was retarded compared to the non-functionalized BGS. The LY-BGS showed antibacterial activity towards Gram-positive B. subtilis and >90% of the bacteria was killed within 24 h after culture with the LY-BGS at a concentration of 1 mg ml(-1). The LY-BGS also showed cytotoxicity towards the human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line. In addition, the relative cytotoxicity increased with an increase in the concentration of the LY-BGS in contact with the cells. As a comparison, the LY-BGS exhibited reduced or no cytotoxicity towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at the same concentration with respect to the HepG2 groups. Notably, the relative cell viability of HepG2 was 45.9% after exposure to the LY-BGS at a concentration of 10 μg ml(-1) for 24 h, while no decrease in relative viability for the HUVECs was observed under the same conditions. This cytotoxicity window between cancerous cells and healthy cells could be expected for cancer treatment. Furthermore, the antibacterial properties and the bioactivity of LY-BGS make it a promising material for biomedical applications, particularly in the treatment of bone defects caused by tumors.