Facile synthesis of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles for efficient inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation

We report the synthesis of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as efficient anticancer agents. The chemical composition and structure, drug loading capacity, and in vitro cytotoxicity of CTAB-MSNs were analyzed. Our results reveal that CTAB-MSNs display a uniform pore structure, extensive surface area, and high drug-loading capacity, of approximately 37.2% by weight. The viability assessments showed that CTAB-MSNs exhibited superior human hepatoma (HepG2) cell killing compared to free CTAB. Therefore, CTAB-MSNs may have advantages over conventional cancer therapies. (paper)