Green Synthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles Using Solanum nigrum Fruit Extract and its Anti-cancer Efficacy Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Theranostic scope of monometallic selenium and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in biomedicine: A review

The nanoparticles (NPs) of metals and metal oxides constitute significant components of technology in terms of monometallic NPs (MNPs). Over the last decade, the most fascinating and in-depth uses of NPs have been found in the biomedical field, which has demonstrated the therapeutic potential of these particles. Significant strides have been made in the application of nanotechnology across various industries, including biomedical sciences. In biomedicine, two of the most important applications of NPs are in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Given their ability to deliver specific drugs, these next-generation NPs provide safe and effective pharmacotherapies for a wide range of disorders. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs offer potential treatments for various applications, including hair care and cancer treatment. SeNPs help with abiotic stress, plant disease, and growth, while TiO2 NPs enhance bio-imaging and drug delivery. This comprehensive review focuses on MNPs like Se (metal-based) and TiO2 (metal-oxide based). It covers their synthesis methods, nanoscale physicochemical properties, and the definition of specific industrial applications in various fields of applied nanotechnology, including biomedicine.

Bioactivity of selenium nanoparticles biosynthesized by crude phycocyanin extract of Leptolyngbya sp. SSI24 cultivated on recycled filter cake wastes from sugar-industry

BACKGROUND

Beet filter cake (BFC) is a food-grade solid waste produced by the sugar industry, constituting a permanent source of pollution. Cyanobacteria are considered a sustainable resource for various bioactive compounds such as phycocyanin pigment with valuable applications. This study aimed to use beet filter cake extract (BFCE) as an alternative medium for the economic cultivation of cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. SSI24 PP723083, then biorefined the bioactive component such as phycocyanin pigment that could be used in the production of selenium nanoparticles.

RESULTS

The results of the batch experiment displayed that the highest protein content was in BG11medium (47.9%); however, the maximum carbohydrate and lipid content were in 25% BFCE (15.25 and 10.23%, respectively). In addition, 75% BFCE medium stimulated the phycocyanin content (25.29 mg/g) with an insignificant variation compared to BG11 (22.8 mg/g). Moreover, crude phycocyanin extract from Leptolyngbya sp SSI24 cultivated on BG11 and 75% BFCE successfully produced spherical-shaped selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) with mean sizes of 95 and 96 nm in both extracts, respectively. Moreover, XRD results demonstrated that the biosynthesized Se-NPs have a crystalline nature. In addition, the Zeta potential of the biosynthesized Se-NPs equals - 17 mV and - 15.03 mV in the control and 75% BFCE treatment, respectively, indicating their stability. The biosynthesized Se-NPs exhibited higher effectiveness against Gram-positive bacteria than Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, the biosynthesized Se-NPs from BG11 had higher antioxidant activity with IC50 of 60 ± 0.7 compared to 75% BFCE medium. Further, Se-NPs biosynthesized from phycocyanin extracted from Leptolyngbya sp cultivated on 75% BFCE exhibited strong anticancer activity with IC50 of 17.31 ± 0.63 µg/ml against the human breast cancer cell line.

CONCLUSIONS

The BFCE-supplemented medium can be used for the cultivation of cyanobacterial strain for the phycocyanin accumulation that is used for the green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles that have biological applications.

Regulation of hippo signaling mediated apoptosis by Rauvolfia tetraphylla in triple-negative breast cancer

Rauvolfia tetraphylla is an essential medicinal plant that has been widely used in traditional medicine for various disease treatments. However, the tumor suppressor activity of R. tetraphylla and its phytocompounds were not explored against triple-negative breast cancer. The current research investigated the impact of R. tetraphylla methanolic extract (RTE) and its isolated compounds Ajmaline (RTC1) and Reserpine (RTC2) on triple-negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) focusing on anti-proliferative effects. Our study imparts that RTE and RTC2 showed promising cytotoxic effects compared to RTC1. So further experiments have proceeded with RTE and RTC2, to evaluate its proliferation, migration, and apoptotic effect. The result shows around 80% of cells were observed in the G0/G1 phase in cell cycle analysis indicating the cell cycle inhibition and duel staining clearly showed the apoptotic effect. The migration of cells after the scratch was 60.45% observed in control and 90% in treated cells showing the inhibition of migration. ROS distribution was intense compared to control indicating the increased ROS stress in treated cells. Both RTE and RTC2-treated cells showed the potential to suppress proliferation and induce apoptotic change by upregulating BAX and MST-1 and suppressing Bcl2, LATS-1, and YAP, proving that deregulation of YAP resulting in the blockage of TEAD-YAP complex and inhibit proliferation. Therefore, R. tetraphylla extract and its isolated compounds were demonstrated to find its ability to act against MDA-MB-231 and these findings will help adjudicate it as a therapeutic drug against experimental triple-negative breast cancer.

Enhanced Induction of Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in MCF-7 Breast Cancer and HT-29 Colon Cancer Cell Lines via Low-Dose Biosynthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles Utilizing Lactobacillus casei

As a leading global cause of mortality, cancer continues to pose a significant challenge. The shortcomings of prevalent cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, necessitate the exploration of alternative therapeutic strategies. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have emerged as a promising solution, with their synthesis being widely researched due to their potential applications. Among the diverse synthesis methods for SeNPs, the green chemistry approach holds a distinctive position within nanotechnology. This research delves into the anti-proliferative and anticancer properties of green-synthesized SeNPs via the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of Lactobacillus casei (LC-SeNPs), with a specific focus on MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cell lines. SeNPs were synthesized employing the supernatant of L. casei. The characterization of these green-synthesized SeNPs was performed using TEM, FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and DLS. The biological impact of LC-SNPs on MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cells was examined via MTT, flow cytometry, scratch tests, and qRT-PCR. Both FE-SEM and TEM images substantiated the spherical shape of the synthesized nanoparticles. The biosynthesized LC-SNPs reduced the survival of MCF-7 (by 20%) and HT-29 (by 30%) cells at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. Flow cytometry revealed that LC-SNPs were capable of inducing 28% and 23% apoptosis in MCF-7 and HT-29 cells, respectively. In addition, it was found that LC-SNPs treated MCF-7 and HT-29 cells were arrested in the sub-G1 phase. Gene expression analysis indicated that the expression levels of the CASP3, CASP9, and BAX genes were elevated after treating MCF-7 and HT-29 cells with LC-SNPs. Further, SeNPs were observed to inhibit migration and invasion of MCF-7 and HT-29 cancer cells. The SeNPs, produced via L. casei, demonstrated strong anticancer effects on MCF-7 and HT-29 cells, suggesting their potential as biological agents in cancer treatment following additional in vivo experiments.

Padina boergesenii mediated synthesis of Se-ZnO bimetallic nanoparticles for effective anticancer activity

Introduction

Evaluating the anticancer property of Padina boergesenii mediated bimetallic nanoparticles.

Methods

The present study focuses on synthesizing Se-ZnO bimetallic nanoparticles from an aqueous algal extract of brown algae Padina boergesenii.Synthesized Se-ZnO NPs were characterized by UV, FTIR, SEM-EDS and HRTEM for confirmation along with the anticancer activity by MTT assay.

Results

The UV gave an absorbance peak at 342 and 370 nm, and the FTIR showed functional groups involved in synthesizing Se-ZnO NPs. The TEM micrographs indicated the crystalline nature and confirmed the size of the Se-ZnO NPs to be at an average size of 26.14 nm. Anticancer efficacy against the MCF-7 breast and HepG2 (hepatoblastoma) cell lines were also demonstrated, attaining an IC50 value of 67.9 µg and 74.9 µg/ml respectively, which caused 50% cell death.

Discussion

This work aims to highlight an effective method for delivering bioactive compounds extracted from brown algae and emphasize its future therapeutic prospects. The potential of Selenium-Zinc oxide nanoparticles is of great interest due to the biocompatibility and low toxicity aspects of selenium combined with the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of zinc metal. The presence of bioactive compounds contributed to the stability of the nanoparticles and acted as capping properties.

Bioactive composition and modulatory effects of Hed-Tean-Rad Mushroom, Macrocybe crassa on gut microbiota

Macrocybe crassa (or Tricholoma crassum) is a nutrient-dense wild edible mushroom native to Thailand. The mushroom extract and its constituents have remarkable biological characteristics, but the influence of the powder on the human gut microbiota is unknown. This study investigated the bioactive composition and modulatory properties of M. crassa powder on gut microbial composition and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production. The fermentation of M. crassa powder by human intestinal microbiota released SCFA, mainly acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid. M. crassa powder significantly modulated the microbiota by increasing the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus/Enterococcus group, Atopobium, Bacteroidaceae/Prevotellaceae, and C. coccoides. F. prausnitzii, Roseburia genus, C. histolyticum and C. cluster IX, similar to that of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS). With M. crassa powder, high content of propionic acid was observed, as well as a number of Bacteroidaceae/Prevotellaceae and C. cluster IX. On the other hand, FOS caused a high acetic acid concentration and a population of Bifidobacterium spp., Atopobium cluster, Bacteroidaceae/Prevotellaceae, and C. coccoides. Therefore, this work will significantly contribute to filling the knowledge gap and revealing the significance of M. crassa in the pharmaceutical industry.