Selenium nanoparticles inhibit the growth of HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cells through induction of S phase arrest.

In vitro antiproliferative effects of selenium nanoparticles (nanoSe(0), 10-40 μmol/L) on HeLa (human cervical carcinoma) cells and MDA-MB-231 (human breast carcinoma) cells were examined by optical microscopic inspection and MTT assay in the present study. The nanoSe(0) effectively inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells and HeLa cells in a dose-dependent manner. The morphology analysis with atomic force microscope showed that the HeLa cells treated with 10 μmol/L nanoSe(0) were rough and shrunken with truncated lamellipodia at terminal part of the cells. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that HeLa cells were arrested at S phase of the cell cycle after exposed to nanoSe(0) (10 μmol/L). Taken together, our results suggested that nanoSe(0) may be more helpful in cancer chemoprevention as a potential anticancer drug.