Figure 5.

Cytotoxicity effect of AuNPs alone and their complexes with siRNA toward HBEC-5i cells, MTT assay. (A) The viability of HBEC-5i cells in the presence of AuNPs at the concentrations varied from 1.56 to 200 µg/mL. Statistical significance showed when compared with the control, non-treated cells. (B) Calculated from the results shown on panel A, IC₅₀, values of noncomplexed nanoparticles vs. control (100% viability). (C) The viability of HBEC-5i cells in the presence of AuNPs/siRNA complexes. Significant differences compared to the negative control. (D) Comparison of the cytotoxic effects of naked AuNPs and their complexes with siRNA. Statistical significance was marked for the same concentrations between AuNPs alone and in the complex with siRNA. To form the AuNP/siRNA complex, the concentration of siRNA was always 1 µmol/L, whereas the concentration of nanoparticles was varied—incubation time for all samples 24 h. Data points represent means ± SD obtained from min. 3 separate experiments. Statistical significance was assessed using a two-way ANOVA test (n = 3, * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.0001).