Figure 2.

The anti-growth and antiproliferation effects of AuNR–AlPcS₄, Clip–AlPcS₄, and F127–AlPcS₄ on SGC-7901 cells evaluated by the CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay.

Notes: (A–C) The dark cytotoxicity (without irradiation) and photocytotoxicity (with irradiation) of AuNR–AlPcS₄, Clip–AlPcS₄, F127–AlPcS₄, and AlPcS₄ on SGC-7901 cells. The cells were treated with 0.25–8 µg/mL AuNR–AlPcS₄, Clip–AlPcS₄, F127–AlPcS₄, and AlPcS₄ for 6 hours and incubated again for 24 hours. (D) The antiproliferation activity by AuNR–AlPcS₄, Clip–AlPcS₄, F127–AlPcS₄, and AlPcS₄ on SGC-7901 cells. The cells were treated with AuNR–AlPcS₄, Clip–AlPcS₄, F127–AlPcS₄, and AlPcS₄ at 0.5–8 µg/mL, irradiated by laser light and then incubated continuously for 12 days. After being treated, the cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde, stained with crystal violet, and photographed. (E and F) The colony formation rates were quantified (+ represents irradiation; − represents no irradiation). The experiment was repeated three times. The data represent the average of three experiments and the error bars show SD. *P<0.05, represents statistical difference in colony formation rate between AlPcS₄ carriers and AlPcS₄. **P<0.01, represents statistically significant difference in colony formation rate between AlPcS₄ carriers and AlPcS₄.

Abbreviations: AlPcS₄, Al(III) phthalocyanine chloride tetrasulfonic acid; CCK-8, Cell Counting kit-8; Clip, cationic liposome; RRLAC, arginine-arginine-leucine-alanine-cysteine peptide.