Figure 9.

Proinflammatory response is stimulated in drug-induced senescent breast cancer cells treated with encapsulated Fe₃O₄ NPs. The senescence program was activated using etoposide treatment. Senescent breast cancer cells were treated with 100 μg/mL NPs for 4 h. The nuclear pools of NFκB and cytoplasmic levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were analyzed in fixed cells using immunostaining and imaging cytometry. The levels of NFκB, IL-6, and IL-8 are presented in relative fluorescence units (RFU). Box and whisker plots are shown, n = 3, ^***p < 0.001, and *p < 0.05 compared to untreated control (ANOVA and Dunnett’s a posteriori test); ^###p < 0.001 compared to Fe₃O₄@Dex treatment (ANOVA and Tukey’s a posteriori test). CTRL, untreated control; Fe₃O₄@Dex, dextran-based coated iron oxide nanoparticles; and Fe₃O₄@aC, glucosamine-based amorphous carbon-coated iron oxide nanoparticles.