Figure 1.

Increased C-CPE concentration for AuNP functionalization increased the efficiency of gold nanoparticle-mediated laser perforation (GNOME-LP)-induced cell killing of Caco-2 cells. (A) The survival of Caco-2 cells evaluated by propidium iodide uptake in cells treated with GNOME-LP (30 mJ/cm² at 5 mm/s) in presence of C-CPE, AuNPs, and C-CPE functionalized AuNPs (C-CPE-AuNPs). The increase of C-CPE concentration during functionalization process reduced the cell survival. The results were analyzed with Student’s t test. * Significant difference to the AuNP control group: *** p < 0.001. # Significant difference to 5 µg/mL C-CPE functionalized AuNPs: ### p < 0.001. (B) GNOME-LP cell killing with lower laser fluence (5 mJ/cm² at 5 mm/s) in combination with AuNPs functionalized with 20 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL C-CPE did not affect the cell survival. (C) Killing efficiency of AuNP functionalized with 20 µg/mL C-CPE and GNOME-LP (30 mJ/cm²) applied at indicated scanning velocity. The results were analyzed with Student’s t test. * Significant difference to the AuNP control group: *** p < 0.001. # Significant difference to velocity of 5 mm/s: ### p < 0.001. (D) GNOME-LP with different laser fluence (5–60 mJ/m²; 0.5 s/cm) in combination with 20 µg/mL C-CPE functionalized AuNPs. The results were analyzed with Student’s t test. * Significant difference to the AuNP control group: *** p < 0.001. # Significant difference to laser energy of 5 mJ/cm²: ### p < 0.001. + Significant difference to the laser fluence of 10 mJ/cm²: + p < 0.05, ++ p < 0.01, +++ p < 0.001. All graphs represent the mean ± SEM of cell survival relative to untreated cells (unt.).