FMSP-Nanoparticles Induced Cell Death on Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cell Line (MCF-7 Cells): Morphometric Analysis

Polymeric graphene oxide nanoparticles loaded with doxorubicin for combined photothermal and chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer

Combining photothermal and chemotherapy is an emerging strategy for tumor irradiation in a minimally invasive manner, utilizing photothermal transduction agents and anticancer drugs. The present work developed a 2D carbon nanomaterial graphene oxide (GO)-based nanoplatform that converted to 3D colloidal spherical structures upon functionalization with an amphiphilic polymer mPEG-PLA (1, 0.5/1/2) and entrapped doxorubicin (Dox) physically. The Dox@GO(mPP) (1/0.5) NPs displayed the least particle size (161 nm), the highest stability with no aggregation, the highest Dox loading (6.3 %) and encapsulation efficiency (70 %). The therapeutic efficacy was determined in vitro and in vivo using murine (4 T1) and human triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231), and 4 T1-Luc-tumor bearing mouse models. The results demonstrated that the Dox@GO(mPP) (1/0.5) NPs treatment with laser (+L) (808 nm) was highly efficient in inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest (G2/M) phase, significant cytotoxicity, mitochondrial membrane depolarization, ROS generation, and photothermal effect leading to a higher proportion of cell death than free Dox, and Dox@GO(mPP) (1/0.5) NPs (-L). The anticancer studies in mice harboring the 4 T1-Luc tumor showed that combination of Dox@GO(mPP) (1/0.5) NPs (+L) effectively reduced tumor development and decreased lung metastasis. The developed nanoplatform could be a promising combination chemo-photothermal treatment option for triple-negative breast cancer.

Therapeutic potential of hesperidin: Apoptosis induction in breast cancer cell lines

Hesperidin is a flavonoid commonly found in citrus fruits. Studies have shown that hesperidin has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties, as well as its effectiveness in carcinogenesis. In this paper, we aim to investigate the molecular mechanisms of hesperidin-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. The inhibitory effect of hesperidin on cellular proliferation was evaluated with the MTT assay. Cell cycle analysis of hesperidin-treated cells was then performed, as well as immunocytochemical analysis of the effect on the apoptosis pathway (TUNEL, Bax, and Bcl-2 expression). Moreover, hesperidin induced cellular apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells by inhibiting Bcl-2 and enhancing Bax expression at protein levels. On the other hand, hesperidin caused apoptosis in the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line, but it did not activate the Bax/Bcl-2 pathway. Hesperidin also induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. These findings showed that hesperidin is a potential therapeutic candidate for preventing the progression of breast cancer. In addition, hesperidin could significantly stimulate the death mechanisms in ER/PR (+) MCF-7 cells by changing the expression balance of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins, but lead ER/PR (-) MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to apoptosis in a different way.

Non-cytotoxic Dy3+ activated La10W22O81 nanophosphors for UV based cool white LEDs and anticancer applications

White-light-emitting La₁₀W₂₂O₈₁ (LWO): xDy³⁺ (0.5 ≤ x ≤ 10 mol%) nanocrystalline phosphors were developed by a facile hydrothermal assisted solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicated that the prepared samples adopted orthorhombic crystal structures. The agglomeration of uniform nanorods was identified from the FE-SEM analysis of the optimized LWO: 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ nanocrystalline phosphors. Additionally, transmission electron microscope, scanning transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to explore the surface morphology, size, interplanar distance, and chemical composition with valence states of the LWO: 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ phosphors, respectively. By exciting with 387 nm, the LWO: Dy³⁺ emission spectra showed two intense peaks at 476 nm (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_15/2) and 571 nm (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_13/2) and a shoulder peak at 659 nm (⁴F_9/2→⁶H_11/2). Optimum emission intensity was achieved for 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ in the LWO host lattice. The luminescence quenching beyond 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ is attributed to the dipole-dipole interactions when the Dy³⁺ (donor) and Dy³⁺ (acceptor) ions are at a critical distance of 58.53 Å. Photometric studies were conducted to evaluate the performance and practical applicability of the phosphors. The CIE chromaticity diagram suggests that the LWO: 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ nanophosphor conspicuously exhibits cool white light. Therefore, this material could be a promising and potential white light-emitting nanocrystalline phosphor material for white light emitting diodes (LEDs) under near-UV excitation. In addition, the toxicity of the optimized nanophosphor in normal WI-38 lung fibroblast cells and MCF-7 breast cancer cells was examined. Surprisingly, LWO: 1.5 mol% Dy³⁺ nanophosphor was found to be non-cytotoxic to normal cells, but extremely toxic to cancer cells. Therefore, the nanophosphor materials can be considered potential candidates for biomedical applications, particularly for cancer treatment.

Convenient Synthesis of N-Alkyl-2-(3-phenyl-quinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)acetamides and Methyl-2-[2-(3-phenyl-quinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)acetylamino]alkanoates

A series of 27 new quinoxaline derivatives (N-alkyl-[2-(3-phenyl-quinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)]acetamides, methyl-2-[2-(3-phenylquinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)-acetylamino]alkanoates, and their corresponding dipeptides) were prepared from 3-phenylquinoxaline-2(1H)-thione based on the chemoselective reaction with soft electrophiles. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to study the efficacy of 27 compounds on cancer cell viability and proliferation. A total of 13 compounds (4a-c, 5, 6, 8c, 9c, 9f, 10a, 10b, 11c, 12b, and 12c) showed inhibitory action on HCT-116 cancer cells and 15 compounds (4a-c, 5, 6, 8c, 9a, 9c, 9f, 9h, 10b, 11c, 12a, 12b, and 12c) showed activity on MCF-7 cancer cells, with compound 10b exhibiting the highest inhibitory action (IC₅₀ 1.52 and 2 μg/mL, respectively) on both cell lines. The molecular modeling studies on the human thymidylate synthase (hTS) homodimer interface showed that these compounds are good binders and could selectively inhibit the enzyme by stabilizing its inactive conformation. The study also identified key residues for homodimer binding, which could be used for further optimization and development.

Template-free preparation of iron oxide loaded hollow silica spheres and their anticancer proliferation capabilities

Hollow silica spheres were loaded with Fe3O4 NPs (u-HSS-Fe) and calcined further to remove the non-degradable phenyl groups (c-HSS-Fe) for anticancer applications.

Gum acacia PEG iron oxide nanocomposite (GA-PEG-IONC) induced pharmacotherapeutic activity on the Las R gene expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and HOXB13 expression of prostate cancer (Pc 3) cell line. A green therapeutic approach of molecular mechanism inhibition

Among the diverse nanomaterials, polymer-based nanocomposites are gained more attention due to their high efficacy, target biological activities, biodegradability and biocompatibility-gum acacia (GA) - a polymer obtained from acacia trees-is considering the multifunctional nanocomposite synthesis. Distinctive Physico-chemical and biocompatibility properties of gum acacia are utilised to prepare a highly stable, biologically active, eco-friendly Nanocomposite. In this current investigation, gum acacia - poly ethylene glycol grafted iron oxide nanocomposite (GA-PEG-IONC) was synthesised by in situ green science principles. The synthesised Nanocomposite was evaluated against the molecular mechanism of urinary tract pathogenic bacterial strains and prostate cancer cells (Pc 3). Nanocomposite prepared in this examination exhibited notable structural, functional stability with nanoarchitecture which was affirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), electron microscopic studies, atomic force microscopy (AFM), vibrating sample magnetometric analysis (VSM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), Synthesised Nanocomposite brought about notable antibacterial activity against urinary tract pathogenic strains by recording potential inhibitory effect on the expression of Las R gene. Inhibition of Las R gene expression reduced notable effect on biofilm development. Anticancer activity against prostate cancer cells (Pc3) was investigated by measurement of HOXB13 gene expression level. Inhibition of HOXB13 gene expression by the IONC brought about structural, functional changes. HOXB13 gene expression inhibition reveals a remarkable cytotoxic effect by recording decreased cell viability. Morphometric analysis by phase-contrast and DAPI fluorescence staining demonstrates that the Nanocomposite prompted cell morphology anomalies or apoptotic changes. Nanocomposite treatment brought about a good sign of Apoptosis by recording enhanced caspase 3 and 9 activities, DNA fragmentation and elevated reactive oxygen species generation (ROS). Hemocompatibility studies were carried out to determine the biocompatibility of the Nanocomposite. Spectrophotometric estimation of plasma haemoglobin, microscopic examination of whole blood cells shows the Nanocomposite was not inciting any indication of toxicity. These findings infer that IONC synthesised in the present study is the promising contender for a broad scope of biomedical applications, especially as an antibacterial and anticancer agent.

Anti-microbial and anti-cancer activities of Mn0.5Zn0.5DyxFe2-xO4 (x ≤ 0.1) nanoparticles

Combining two or more nanoparticles is a promising approach. Previously we have reported synthesis of nanoparticles Dysprosium (Dy) substituted with manganese (Mn) zinc (Zn) by using ultrasonication method. The five different nanoparticles (NPs) Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) have been structurally and morphologically characterized but there is no report on the biological application of these NPs. In the present study, we have examined the anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activities of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) NPs. Human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) were tested with different concentrations of NPs by using MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. In addition, the impact of NPs was also examined on normal cells such as human embryonic kidney cells, HEK-293. After 48 h of treatment, Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ NPs (x = 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) showed no inhibitory action on cancer cell's growth and proliferation, whereas Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ NPs (x = 0.08 and 0.1) showed profound inhibitory action on cancer cell's growth and proliferation. However, the treatment of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ NPs on the normal cells (HEK-293) did not show cytotoxic or inhibitory action on HEK-293 cells. The treatment of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xFe_2-xO₄ NPs (x ≤ 0.1) also inhibited both the bacteria (Escherichia coli ATCC35218 and Staphylococcus aureus) with lowest MIC and MBC values of 4 and 8 mg/mL and fungus (Candida albicans) with MIC and MFC values of 4 and 8 mg/mL on treatment with x = 0.08 and 0. 1.

Ultrasonic Synthesis and Biomedical Application of Mn0.5Zn0.5ErxYxFe2-2xO4 Nanoparticles

In the present study, biocompatible manganese nanoparticles have been linked with zinc and iron molecules to prepare different derivatives of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs (x = 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10), using an ultrasonication approach. The structure, surface morphology, and chemical compositions of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs were elucidated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX) techniques. The bioactivity of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs on normal (HEK-293) and (HCT-116) colon cancer cell line was evaluated. The Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs treatment post 48 h resulted in a significant reduction in cells (via MTT assay, having an IC₅₀ value between 0.88 µg/mL and 2.40 µg/mL). The specificity of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs were studied by treating them on normal cells line (HEK-293). The results showed that Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs did not incur any effect on HEK-293, which suggests that Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Er_xY_xFe_2-2xO₄ NPs selectively targeted the colon cancerous cells. Using Candida albicans, antifungal activity was also studied by evaluating minimum inhibitory/fungicidal concentration (MIC/MFC) and the effect of nanomaterial on the germ tube formation, which exhibited that NPs significantly inhibited the growth and germ tube formation. The obtained results hold the potential to design nanoparticles that lead to efficient bioactivity.

Gold-seeded Lithium Niobate Nanoparticles: Influence of Gold Surface Coverage on Second Harmonic Properties

Hybrid nanoparticles composed of an efficient nonlinear optical core and a gold shell can enhance and tune the nonlinear optical emission thanks to the plasmonic effect. However the influence of an incomplete gold shell, i.e., isolated gold nano-islands, is still not well studied. Here LiNbO₃ (LN) core nanoparticles of 45 nm were coated with various densities of gold nano-seeds (AuSeeds). As both LN and AuSeeds bear negative surface charge, a positively-charged polymer was first coated onto LN. The number of polymer chains per LN was evaluated at 1210 by XPS and confirmed by fluorescence titration. Then, the surface coverage percentage of AuSeeds onto LN was estimated to a maximum of 30% using ICP-AES. The addition of AuSeeds was also accompanied with surface charge reversal, the negative charge increasing with the higher amount of AuSeeds. Finally, the first hyperpolarizability decreased with the increase of AuSeeds density while depolarization values for Au-seeded LN were close to the one of bare LN, showing a predominance of the second harmonic volumic contribution.

Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of Novel Metal Complexes Derived from Methyl-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropanoate as Potential CDK8 Kinase Inhibitors

Several metal complexes of methyl-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropanoate derivatives were synthesized and tested for their anti-tumor activities. The ligands include 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropanoic acid (1), 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropanehydrazide (2), and 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N'-(4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropanehydrazide (3). The ligands were reacted with Cu (II), Ni (II), and La (III) ions. The formed complexes were characterized using elemental analysis (M%), molar conductivity in DMF (0.001 M), DTA, TG, FTIR, ICP-AES, and magnetic susceptibility. The chemical structures of the obtained complexes were interpreted, and their chemical formulas were postulated. The anti-cancer activities of these complexes were examined on human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) and also on normal cells (HEK-293). The 48 h post treatments showed that out of 12 compounds, 10 compounds showed inhibitory actions on HCT-116 cells, whereas two compounds did not show any inhibitory actions. Compounds 6c and 4a showed the highest inhibitory actions with IC50 = 0.154 and 0.18 mM and additionally compounds 3, 4b, and 6a with IC50 = 0.267, 0.205, and 0.284 mM, respectively. All tested compounds did not show any inhibitory action on normal HEK-293 cells. Molecular docking results provided a good evidence for activity of the lead compounds 3 and 4a as CDK8-CYCC kinase inhibitors, which may proposed the mechanism of action toward colon cancer therapy.

The synthesis and antiproliferative activity of new N-allyl quinoxalinecarboxamides and their O-regioisomers

We have designed a series of quinoxalinepeptidomimetic derivatives based on our previously reported scaffold in an attempt to find a promising lead compound.

Synthesis of Dy-Y co-substituted manganese‑zinc spinel nanoferrites induced anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activities: Comparison between sonochemical and sol-gel auto-combustion methods

This study described the beneficial properties of ultrasonic irradiation approach to synthesize the spinel-type Dy-Y co-substituted Mn-Zn nanospinel ferrites (NSFs). We have used two different approaches like citrate sol-gel combustion and ultrasonic irradiation routes to produced series of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Fe_2-2x(Dy_xY_x)O₄ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) NSFs (DyY-MnZn NSFs). The structure and morphology of NSFs X-was examined by using XRD, EDX, SEM and TEM methods. We have found that spinel ferrites and hematite phase in DyY-MnZn NSFs produced by citrate sol-gel, while DyY-MnZn NSFs created by ultrasonic irradiation contain a pure phase of spinel ferrite. TEM analysis revealed the spherical nanoparticles with fairly uniform size. We have also analyzed the biological applications of DyY-MnZn NSFs prepared by both methods (ultrasonication and sol-gel) by examining their anti-cancer and anti-bacterial (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureu) activities. We have found that both methods produced inhibitory actions on colon cancer cells (HCT-116) and bacterial cells, whereas, no inhibitory action was observed when examined on normal and non-cancerous cells (HEK-293).

Evaluation of bioactivities of zinc oxide, cadmium sulfide and cadmium sulfide loaded zinc oxide nanostructured materials prepared by nanosecond pulsed laser

The present study reports the preparation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) loaded zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructured semiconductor material and its anti-bioactivity studies against cancerous and fungus cells. For composite preparation, two different mass ratios of CdS (10 and 20%) were loaded on ZnO (10%CdS/ZnO, 20%CdS/ZnO) using a 532 nm pulsed laser ablation in water media. The structural and morphological analyses confirmed the successful loading of nanoscaled CdS on the surface of ZnO particles, ZnO particles were largely spherical with average size ~50 nm, while CdS about 12 nm in size. The elemental and electron diffraction analyses reveal that the prepared composite, CdS/ZnO contained both CdS and ZnO, thus reaffirming the production of CdS loaded ZnO. The microscopic examination and MTT assay showed the significant impact of ZnO, CdS, and CdS loaded ZnO on human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116 cells). Our results show that the prepared ZnO had better anticancer activities than individual CdS, and CdS loaded ZnO against cancerous cells. For antifungal efficacy, as-prepared nanomaterials were investigated against Candida albicans by examining minimum inhibitory/fungicidal concentration (MIC/MFC) and morphogenesis. The lowest MIC (0.5 mg/mL), and MFC values (1 mg/mL) were found for 10 and 20%CdS/ZnO. Furthermore, the morphological analyses reveal the severe damage of the cell membrane upon exposure of Candida strains to nanomaterials. The present study suggests that ZnO, CdS, and CdS loaded ZnO nanostructured materials possess potential anti-cancer and anti-fungal activities.

Synthesis of Ni0.5Co0.5-xCdxFe1.78Nd0.02O4 (x ≤ 0.25) nanofibers by using electrospinning technique induce anti-cancer and anti-bacterial activities

Here we report the electrospinning synthesis of Cd-substituted Ni-Co ferrite Ni_0.5Co_0.5-xCd_xFe_1.78Nd_0.02O₄ (x ≤ 0.25) nanofiber (NFs) with a very low concentration of Nd as a dopant. The structure and surface morphology of the Ni_0.5Co_0.5-xCd_xFe_1.78Nd_0.02O₄ (x ≤ 0.25) NFs were analyzed by X-ray powder pattern (XRD), transmission and scanning electron microscopes (TEM) along with Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX). We have examined the biological applications of the Ni_0.5Co_0.5-xCd_xFe_1.78Nd_0.02O₄ (x ≤ 0.25) NFs on both cancerous cells and bacterial cells. We have found that Ni_0.5Co_0.5-xCd_xFe_1.78Nd_0.02O₄ (x ≤ 0.25) NFs produced inhibitory action on the human colorectal carcinoma cells (HEK-293) and also showed inhibitory action on the bacterial strains (S. aureus and E. coli) respectively. Finally, this is the first report on the synthesis of Cd- substituted Co-Ni ferrite nanofibers using electrospinning technique exhibiting anti-cancer and anti-bacterial activities.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Single step production of high-purity copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites and their effective antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against drug-resistant bacteria

In the present research work, copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites were synthesized for the first time using advanced pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) technique for disinfection of drug-resistant pathogenic waterborne biofilm-producing bacterial strains. For this, a series of copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites were synthesized by varying the composition of copper oxide (5%, 10%, and 20%) with titanium dioxide. The pure titanium dioxide and copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites were characterized by advanced instrumental techniques. XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, EDX, elemental mapping and XPS analysis results consistently revealed the successful formation of copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites using PLAL technique. The antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of pure titanium dioxide and copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites were investigated against biofilm-producing strains of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by various methods. Our results revealed that the PLAL synthesized copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites showed enhanced anti-biofilm and antibacterial activity compared to pure titanium dioxide in a dose-dependent manner against targeted pathogens. Furthermore, the effects of pure titanium dioxide and copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites on bacterial morphology, biofilm formation, aggregation and their colonization by targeted pathogens were also examined using scanning electron microscopy. Microscopic images clearly showed that the cell envelope of almost all the cells were rumples, rough, had irregularities and abnormal appearance with the major damage being characterized by the formation of "pits". Many depressions and indentations were also seen in their cell envelope and the original shape of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells changed from normal rod to swollen, large and elongated which indicates the loss of membrane integrity and damage of cell wall and membrane. The findings suggested that PLAL synthesized copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites have good potential for removal of biofilm or killing of pathogenic bacteria in water distribution network and for wastewater treatment, hospital and environmental applications. In addition, cytotoxic activity of pure TiO₂ and PLAL synthesized copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites against normal and healthy cells (HEK-293) and cancerous cells (HCT-116) were also evaluated by MTT assay. The MTT assay results showed no cytotoxic effects on HEK-293 cells, which suggest TiO₂ and PLAL synthesized copper oxide-titanium dioxide nanocomposites are non-toxic to the normal cells.

A Wild Fomes fomentarius for Biomediation of One Pot Synthesis of Titanium Oxide and Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial and Anticancer Application

The present study offers an alternative method for green synthesis of the formation of two types of nanoparticles (NPs). These NPs, titanium oxide and silver NPs (TiO₂ and Ag NPs, respectively), were obtained from the amalgamation of intracellular extract of a wild mushroom, Fomes fomentarius, with aqueous solutions of titanium isopropoxide and silver nitrate, respectively. F. fomentarius was identified phenotypically and by 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (Gene accession no: MK635351). The biosynthesis of TiO₂ and Ag NPs was studied and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV-Visible spectroscopy (DR-UV), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Success was achieved in obtaining NPs of differing sizes and shapes. The antibacterial and anticancer activity of the NPs was significant with morphological damage being caused by both, although Ag NPs (10–20 nm) were found to have profound effects on bacterial and cancer cells in comparison to TiO₂ NPs (100–120 nm). These metal NPs, synthesized using wild mushrooms, hold a great potential in biomedicinedue to an effective enzyme combination, which permits them to modify different chemical compounds to less toxic forms, which is required for ecofriendly and safe biomaterials.

Synthesis of niobium substituted cobalt-nickel nano-ferrite (Co0.5Ni0.5NbxFe2-xO4 (x ≤ 0.1) by hydrothermal approach show strong anti-colon cancer activities

The combination of two or more nanoparticles found to be effective strategy to synthesize nanocomposites for better drug delivery and treatment. In the present study, we have combined cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), niobium (Nb), and iron oxide (Fe₂O₄) and prepared niobium substituted cobalt-nickel nano-ferrite nanocomposites (Co_0.5Ni_0.5Nb_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) by using hydrothermal approach. We have characterized the structure and morphology of nanocomposites by using XRD, EDX, TEM and SEM methodologies. We have examined the impact of nanocomposites (Co_0.5Ni_0.5Nb_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) on cancerous cells (human colorectal carcinoma cells, HCT-116) by using MTT assay. We have also checked the impact of nanocomposites on normal and non-cancerous cells (human embryonic kidney cells, HEK-293) to confirm the specificity of their actions. Post- 48 h treatment of Co_0.5Ni_0.5Nb_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) led to dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cells growth and proliferation. However, no cytotoxic effect was observed on the normal cells (HEK-293). In addition, DAPI stained nuclear DNA staining analysis demonstrates that the Co_0.5Ni_0.5Nb_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) treatment also caused nuclear DNA disintegration which is the marker for programmed cell death. These results demonstrate that synthesized nanocomposites Co_0.5Ni_0.5Nb_xFe_2-xO₄ (x ≤ 0.1) selectively target the colon cancer cells and induce cancer cell death.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Quantum dots encapsulated with curcumin inhibit the growth of colon cancer, breast cancer and bacterial cells

Aim: To synthesize and examine the impact of free Eudragit^® RS 100 nanoparticles (LN01), Quantum dots curcumin-loaded Eudragit RS 100 nanoparticles (LN04), and un-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles (LN06) on cancerous and bacterial cells. Materials & methods: The LN01, LN04, LN06 were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, ζ potential, UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and their biological activities were evaluated. Results: LN04 profoundly inhibited the growth of colon (HCT-116) cancerous cells (10.64% cell viability) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells (10.32% cell viability) with compared to LN01 and LN06. Normal cells (HEK-293) did not show any inhibition after treatments. In addition, LN04 show better inhibitory action on bacterial growth compared with LN01 and LN06. Conclusion: We suggest that LN04 selectively target cancerous and bacterial cells and therefore possess potential anticancer and antibacterial capabilities.

Silibinin-induced mitochondria fission leads to mitophagy, which attenuates silibinin-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells

We reported previously that higher doses (150-250 μM) of silibinin enhanced fission and inhibited fusion of mitochondria, accompanying apoptosis of double-positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7 cells and triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 cells. We report here three important questions yet unclarified in the previous study; 1) Whether enhanced fission of mitochondria by the treatment of silibinin leads to mitophagy, 2) Whether mitophagy positively contributes to apoptosis and 3) Whether estrogen receptor-positive (ER⁺) MCF-7 cells and estrogen receptor-negative (ER^-) MDA-MB-231 cells are affected in a different way by silibinin treatment, since silibinin often works through ERs signaling pathway. Mitophagy driven by Pink1/Parkin signaling, plays an important role in eliminating damaged mitochondria. Indeed, increased expression of Pink1 and the recruitment of Parkin and LC3-II to mitochondria by the treatment with silibinin account for silibinin induction of mitophagy. In this study, the effects of mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (mdivi-1) and small interfering RNA targeting dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) were examined to reveal the effect of mitochondrial fission on mitophagy. As expected, mdivi-1 or siRNA targeting DRP1 reversed silibinin-induced mitochondrial fission due to down-regulation in the expression of DRP1. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission by mdivi-1 prevented induction of mitophagy as well as autophagy in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, indicating that silibinin-induced mitochondrial fission leads to mitophagy. Inhibition of mitochondrial fission efficiently prevented silibinin-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in our previous work, and the second point of the present study, inhibition of mitophagy by Pink1 or Parkin knockdown increased silibinin-induced apoptosis of these cells, respectively, suggesting that the mitophagy induced by silibinin treatment serves as a cytoprotective effect, resulting in reduction of apoptosis of cancer cells in both cells. In the third point, we studied whether estrogen receptors (ERs) played a role in silibinin-induced mitophagy and apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. ERα and ERβ are not involved in silibinin-induced mitophagic process in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings demonstrated that silibinin induced mitochondria fission leads to mitophagy, which attenuates silibinin-induced apoptosis not through ERs-Pink1 or -Parkin pathway in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231.

Coenzyme Q0 immobilized on Magnetic Nanoparticle: Synthesis and Antitumoral Effect on Saos, MCF7 and Hela Cell Lines

Many attempts in medical community focused on the preparation of anticancer agents. Various Coenzyme Q such as CoQ0 analogs have been reported as anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant substances. In this study a novel derivatives of Coenzyme Q as an anticancer agent have been introduced. The prepared magnetic nanoparticle, containing CoQ0 were prepared using common chemical methods and also characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC). To evaluate the antiproliferative effects of the nanoparticle, the prepared compound was treated with cell lines such as Hela, MCF-7 and Saos. Moreover, the outcomes were compared with normal fibroblast cell line. These assessments were performed by means of MTT assay. Investigation on the capability of this prepared nanoparticle showed some reliable results including cytotoxicities against MCF7, Saos and Hela cancer cell lines which were illustrated by displaying the morphology of the treated cells using AO/EB dual staining fluorescent technique. Employing simple method for preparation as well as the promising cytotoxic results makes it as a promising candidate for further bioexperiments.

UsingFomitopsis pinicolafor bioinspired synthesis of titanium dioxide and silver nanoparticles, targeting biomedical applications

The current study proposes a bio-directed approach for the formation of titanium oxide and silver nanoparticles (TiO₂ and Ag NPs), using a wild mushroom, Fomitopsis pinicola, identified by 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (gene accession no. MK635350) and phenotypic examination. NP synthesis was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy (DR-UV), and scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). Furthermore, the impact of NPs on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and a human colon cancer cell line (HCT) were evaluated by MIC/MBC and MTT assays, respectively, along with structural morphogenesis by different microscopy methods. The results obtained showed that TiO₂ and Ag NPs were found to be significantly active, however, slightly enhanced antibacterial and anticancer action was seen with Ag NPs (10–30 nm). Such NPs can be utilized to control and treat infectious diseases and colon cancer and therefore have potential in a range of biomedical applications.

This study proposes a bio-directed approach for the formation of titanium oxide and silver nanoparticles (TiO₂ and Ag NPs), using a wild mushroom, Fomitopsis pinicola, identified by 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing (gene accession no. MK635350) and phenotypic examination.

Synthesis and biological characterization of Mn0.5Zn0.5EuxDyxFe1.8-2xO4 nanoparticles by sonochemical approach

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique properties which makes them attractive candidates for various applications especially in field of experimental medicine and drug delivery. Many approaches were developed to synthesize divers and customized metallic NPs that can be useful in many areas such as, experimental medicine, drug design, drug delivery, electrical and electronic engineering, electrochemical sensors, and biochemical sensors. Among different metallic nanoparticles, manganese (Mn) NPs are the most prominent materials, in the present study, we have synthetized unique Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs by using ultrasonication method (x ≤ 0.1). The structure, and surface morphology of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs was characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and EDX methods. We have examined the biological effects of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs on both normal (HEK-293) and cancerous (HCT-116) cells. We have found that the treatment of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs post 48 h, showed significant decline in cancer cells population as revealed by MTT assay. The IC₅₀ value of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs was ranged between (2.35 μg/mL to 2.33 μg/mL). To check the specificity of the actions, we found that the treatment of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs did not produce any effects on the normal cells, which suggest that Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs selectively targeted the cancerous cells. The anti-bacterial properties of Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs were also evaluated by MIC and MBC assays. We suggest that Mn_0.5Zn_0.5Dy_xEu_xFe_1.8-2xO₄ NPs produced by sonochemical method possess potential anti-cancer and anti-bacterial capabilities.

Convenient Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Methyl 2-[3-(3-Phenyl-quinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)propanamido]alkanoates and N-Alkyl 3-((3-Phenyl-quinoxalin-2-yl)sulfanyl)propanamides

A series of methyl 2-[3-(3-phenyl-quinoxalin-2-ylsulfanyl)propanamido]alkanoates and their corresponding hydrazides and N-alkyl 3-((3-phenylquinoxalin-2-yl)sulfanyl)propanamides were prepared on the basis of the chemoselective Michael reaction of acrylic acid with the parent substrate 3-phenylquinoxaline-2(1H)-thione. The parent thione was produced by a convenient novel thiation method from the corresponding 3-phenylquinoxalin-2(1H)-one. The chemical structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by elemental analyses, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was tested against human HCT-116 and MCF-7 cell lines. Out of 25 screened derivatives, 10 active compounds exhibited IC₅₀'s in the range 1.9-7.52 μg/mL on the HCT-116, and 17 active compounds exhibited IC₅₀'s in the range 2.3-6.62 μg/mL on the MCF-7 cell lines compared to the reference drug doxorubicin (IC₅₀ 3.23 μg/mL). The structure-activity relationship of the tested compounds was studied through their binding affinity to the human thymidylate synthase allosteric site in silico using molecular docking and proved the quinoxaline ring as a suitable scaffold carrying a peptidomimetic side chain in position 3.

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles attenuate cancer cells proliferation: Transmission electron microscopy analysis

The penetration and transportation of nanoparticles (NPs) inside the cancer cells is critical to study. In this article, cancer cells (HCT-116) were treated with functionalized magnetic NPs for the period of 48 hr and studied their ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The NPs-treated cells were prepared by chemical fixation and sliced into electron-transparent arbitrary sections (200 × 200 μm² ) by ultramicrotome. Major events of NPs-cell interaction, such as penetration of NPs, encapsulation of NPs into the intracellular compartments, transportation of NPs, and NPs exit, were examined by TEM to understand the mechanism of cell death. The NPs showed the uniform spherical shape with broad size distribution (100-400 nm), while cells displayed irregular morphology with average diameter ~5 μm. Our results showed the successful penetration of NPs deep into the cell, encapsulation, transportation, and exocytosis. Furthermore, we tested the different concentrations (0, 1.5, 12.5, and 50 μg/ml) of NPs on cancer cells and evaluated the cell viability. Laser confocal microscopy and colorimetric analysis together demonstrated that the cell viability is a dose-dependent phenomenon, where 50 μg/ml specimen showed the highest killing of cancer cells compared to other dosages.