Silent Death by Sound: C60 Fullerene Sonodynamic Treatment of Cancer Cells

The acoustic pressure waves of ultrasound (US) penetrate biological tissues deeper than light. Another important feature of US its potential to generate light emission within the excited medium termed sonoluminescence. This promoted the idea of its use as an alternative energy source for photosensitizer excitation. Pristine C 60 fullerene (C 60 ), an excellent photosensitizer, was explored in the frame of cancer sonodynamic therapy (SDT). For that purpose, we analyzed C 60 effects on human cervix carcinoma HeLa cells in combination with a low intensity US treatment. The time-dependent accumulation of C 60 in HeLa cells reached its maximum at 24 h (800 ± 66 ng / 10 6 cells). Half of extranuclear C 60 localized within mitochondria. The efficiency of C 60 nanostructure’s sonoexcitation with 1 MHz US was tested with cell viability assay. A significant proapoptotic sonotoxic effect was found for HeLa cells. C 60 ’s ability to induce apoptosis of carcinoma cells after sonoexcitation with US provides a promising novel approach for cancer treatment.