(174al) Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Induce DNA Damage in Endometrial Cancer Cells

Chemotherapeutic resistance across many types of cancer is one of the greatest complications to cancer therapy and results in few treatment options for patients plagued with this disease. The vital demand for innovative anti-cancer drugs and drug delivery systems arises from these issues, revealing the importance that research on anti-cancerous compounds has on effective care for patients. Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer worldwide and is commonly treated using carboplatin, a platinum-based drug. Carboplatin resistance and unequitable access to treatment for endometrial cancer patients validates the need for a non-invasive form of endometrial cancer therapy. It is proposed that copper oxide nanoparticles can be used as an alternative to carboplatin when encapsulated in a polymeric nanoparticle for use as a drug delivery system. Copper oxide nanoparticles pose the potential as an anti-neoplastic compound due to Cu2+ ions demonstrating the ability to induce reactive oxygen species leading to double stranded DNA breaks ultimately resulting in apoptosis. Through viability assays, endometrial cancer cell lines showed sensitivity to copper oxide nanoparticles; however, trends were not identified across all cell lines that were tested. Using this information, Western Blot analysis was used to identify specific expression levels of apoptotic proteins, DNA repair proteins, and protein markers when DNA is damaged. Western Blots involved the treatment of cells in 24-well plates with varying concentrations of copper oxide nanoparticles for 24 hours. Gel electrophoresis separates proteins and primary antibody complexes. The differences in the expression levels of these proteins after cells are exposed to copper oxide nanoparticles can indicate the mechanism of toxicity within the different cell lines, ultimately explaining the differences in viability.