Fig. 2

NCe-FA internalizes and inhibits ovarian cancer cell proliferation. a Increasing concentrations of the various nanoparticles measured inside the cancer in a dose-dependent manner. b ROS generated by NCe and NCe-FA over a period of time. c Representative TEM pictures of cells with vacuoles containing NCe-FA particle. Panels 1 and 2 show images from control and NCe-FA treated cells at a magnification of 18000. Panels 3 and 4 show magnified images of the vacuoles containing NCe-FA particles (magnification 28000). d Decreasing number of cells under NCe-FA treatment compared to NCe alone at 48 h as seen by MTT assay. e Decreasing number of colonies formed under NCe-FA treatment compared to NCe alone as observed by clonogenic survival assay. f Decreased protease-based cell viability under NCe-FA treatments at 48 h. Values are represented as percent of control, with control taken as 100 % viable cells. g Increased protease-based cell cytotoxicity under NCe-FA treatments at 48 h. Values are represented as percent of control. h Caspase 7/3 activity under NCe-FA treatments at 48 h, with values represented as percent of control. *p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01, ***p ≤ 0.001 compared to control cells