Figure 6.

SV119-PEG-AuNCs/DOX significantly affected the stemness of CSCs. Quantification of (a) the mammosphere-forming ability of the CSCs and (b) the relative average cell number per mammosphere on day 20 after incubation with PBS, PEG-AuNCs, SV119-PEG-AuNCs, and SV119-PEG-AuNCs/DOX, followed by treatment with 808 nm laser (0.8 W/cm2) for 20 min or incubation at 40 °C for 2 h. The CSCs (ALDHhi population) derived from the mammospheres were labeled using the ALDEFLUOR kit and collected using the BD FACSAria III cell sorter. * indicates p < 0.001.