The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of cobalt hydroxide nanoparticles conjugated with glutamic acid and thiosemicarbazides (Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC) on Hepatoma G2 (HpG2) cancer cell lines. The effect of different concentrations of Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC nanoparticles on the growth of Human Embryonic Kidney‐293 (HEK‐293) normal cells and HpG2 cancer cells was evaluated. The half maximal inhibitory concentration of Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC nanoparticle on HEK‐293 and HepG2 was 701.65 μg/ml and 133.62 μg/ml, respectively. The percentage of HpG2 living cells in untreated group was significantly higher than that in Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC‐treated group (95.5 vs. 59.5%; p < .001). Dot plots of Annexin V/PI staining showed a 15.3% early‐stage apoptosis and a 15.3% late‐stage apoptosis in Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC‐treated cells. Untreated cancer cells exhibited 2.83% early‐stage apoptosis and a 0.23% late‐stage apoptosis. Intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species in Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC‐treated cells (2,342) was significantly higher than that in untreated cells (2,342 vs. 707; p < .001). The mean expression of Caspase 3, maternally expressed gene 3, and P53 genes were significantly higher in Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC‐treated cancer cells compared to untreated cancer cells. Co(OH)2@Glu‐TSC nanoparticle has a high cytotoxic effect on cancer cells which is possibly mediated by the induction of overproduction of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, and overexpression of apoptotic genes.

Background: The R521K polymorphism of EGFR has attenuated function in ligand binding, tyrosine kinase activation, and growth stimulation. Objectives: We initiated a study to examine R521K polymorphism in six Iranian ethnic groups.