Figure 7

DAPI staining assay for detection of chromatin decomposition in MCF-7 cells. Cell were treated with either the free MTX (1.60 μg/mL) or the PEGylated FA-MTX-MNPs (12.31 μg/mL), stained with DAPI and then subjected to the transmission light microscopy (panels A, D, G and J), fluorescence microscopy (panels B, E, H and K) and the stylized images of fluorescence microscopy (panels C, F, I and L) showing margins of nucleuses. All images are shown as 200× magnification. Panels A, B and C show the untreated control cells. Panels D, E and F represent the cells treated with the free MNPs alone. Panels G, H and I show the cells treated with the free MTX. Panels J, K and L demonstrate the cells treated with the PEGylated FA-MTX-MNPs.