Fig. 3
Assessments of in vitro cytotoxicity and apoptosis. a Viability of A549 cells treated with different concentrations of C-NPs to A549 cells in the dark with ultrasonication at 1.2 W/cm2 for various times. b Viability following treatment of A549 cells with different concentrations of Rh, C-NPs and C-NPs + SDT followed by ultrasonication at 1.2 W/cm2 for 3 min. c and d Viability of A549 cells (c) and H1299 cells (d) following treatment with DTX/C-NPs along or with SDT using ultrasonication at 1.2 W/cm2 for different times. e Fluorescence images of live/dead cells using Calcein-AM and PI co-staining of A549. Scale bar denotes 50 µm. f FCM examination of cell apoptosis using the different treatments. g Morphologies of cell nucleus before or after SDT therapy. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01. Scale bar denotes 50 µm