Evaluation of Metastasis Suppressor Genes Expression and In Vitro Anti-Cancer Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines MCF-7 and T47D

Assessment of the Effect of Surface Modification of Metal Oxides on Silver Nanoparticles: Optical Properties and Potential Toxicity

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have garnered significant interest due to their distinctive properties and potential applications. Traditional fabrication methods for nanoparticles often involve high-energy physical conditions and the use of toxic solvents. Various green synthesis approaches have been developed to circumvent these issues and produce environmentally benign nanoparticles. Our study focuses on the green synthesis of AgNPs using L-ascorbic acid and explores the modification of their properties to enhance antibacterial and anticancer effects. This is achieved by coating the nanoparticles with Zinc oxide (ZnO) and Silica oxide (SiO2), which alters their optical properties in the visible spectrum. The synthesized formulations-AgNPs, zinc oxide-silver nanoparticles (Ag@ZnO), and silica oxide-silver nanoparticles (Ag@SiO2) core/shell nanoparticles-were characterized using a suite of physicochemical techniques, including Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta potential measurement, UV-Vis spectroscopy, Refractive Index Measurements, and Optical Anisotropy Assessment. TEM imaging revealed particle sizes of 11 nm for AgNPs, 8 nm for Ag@ZnO, and 400 nm for Ag@SiO2. The Zeta potential values for Ag@ZnO and Ag@SiO2 were measured at -17.0 ± 5 mV and -65.0 ± 8 mV, respectively. UV-Vis absorption spectra were recorded for all formulations in the 320 nm to 600 nm wavelength range. The refractive index of AgNPs at 404.7 nm was 1.34572, with slight shifts observed for Ag@ZnO and Ag@SiO2 to 1.34326 and 1.37378, respectively. The cytotoxicity of the nanocomposites against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) was assessed using the MTT assay. The results indicated that AgNPs and Ag@ZnO exhibited potent therapeutic effects, with IC50 values of 494.00 µg/mL and 430.00 µg/mL, respectively, compared to 4247.20 µg/mL for Ag@SiO2. Additionally, the antibacterial efficacy of AgNPs was significantly enhanced under visible light irradiation. Ag@ZnO demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity both with and without light exposure, while the Ag@SiO2 nanocomposites significantly reduced the inherent antibacterial activity of silver. Conversely, the Ag@ZnO nanocomposites displayed pronounced antibacterial and anticancer activities. The findings suggest that silver-based nanocomposites, particularly Ag@ZnO, could be practical tools in water treatment and the pharmaceutical industry due to their enhanced therapeutic properties.

Metastasis suppressor genes in clinical practice: are they druggable?

Since the identification of NM23 (now called NME1) as the first metastasis suppressor gene (MSG), a small number of other gene products and non-coding RNAs have been identified that suppress specific parameters of the metastatic cascade, yet which have little or no ability to regulate primary tumor initiation or maintenance. MSG can regulate various pathways or cell biological functions such as those controlling mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway mediators, cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix protein adhesion, cytoskeletal architecture, G-protein-coupled receptors, apoptosis, and transcriptional complexes. One defining facet of this gene class is that their expression is typically downregulated, not mutated, in metastasis, such that any effective therapeutic intervention would involve their re-expression. This review will address the therapeutic targeting of MSG, once thought to be a daunting task only facilitated by ectopically re-expressing MSG in metastatic cells in vivo. Examples will be cited of attempts to identify actionable oncogenic pathways that might suppress the formation or progression of metastases through the re-expression of specific metastasis suppressors.

Cytotoxic Potential of Biogenic Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized From Swertia chirayita Leaf Extract on Colorectal Cancer Cells

Chemotherapy side effects, medication resistance, and tumor metastasis impede the advancement of cancer treatments, resulting in a poor prognosis for cancer patients. In the last decade, nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a promising drug delivery system. Swertia chirayita has long been used as a treatment option to treat a variety of ailments. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized from ethanolic and methanolic extract of S. chirayita leaves. ZnO-NPs were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Its anti-cancer activities were analyzed using cytotoxicity assays [MTT assay and acridine orange (AO) staining] and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) using colorectal cancer (CRC) cells (HCT-116 and Caco-2) and control cells (HEK-293). The ZnO-NPs synthesized from the ethanolic extract of S. chirayita have an average size of 24.67 nm, whereas those from methanolic extract have an average size of 22.95 nm with a spherical shape. MTT assay showed NPs’ cytotoxic potential on cancer cells (HCT-116 and Caco-2) when compared to control cells (HEK-293). The IC₅₀ values of ethanolic and methanolic extract ZnO-NPs for HCT-116, Caco-2, and HEK-293 were 34.356 ± 2.71 and 32.856 ± 2.99 μg/ml, 52.15 ± 8.23 and 63.1 ± 12.09 μg/ml, and 582.84 ± 5.26 and 615.35 ± 4.74 μg/ml, respectively. Acridine orange staining confirmed the ability of ZnO-NPs to induce apoptosis. qRT-PCR analysis revealed significantly enhanced expression of E-cadherin whereas a reduced expression of vimentin and CDK-1. Altogether, these results suggested anti-cancer properties of synthesized ZnO-NPs in CRC.

Recent Advances in Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) for Cancer Diagnosis, Target Drug Delivery, and Treatment

Cancer is regarded as one of the most deadly and mirthless diseases and it develops due to the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. To date, varieties of traditional medications and chemotherapies have been utilized to fight tumors. However, their immense drawbacks, such as reduced bioavailability, insufficient supply, and significant adverse effects, make their use limited. Nanotechnology has evolved rapidly in recent years and offers a wide spectrum of applications in the healthcare sectors. Nanoscale materials offer strong potential for curing cancer as they pose low risk and fewer complications. Several metal oxide NPs are being developed to diagnose or treat malignancies, but zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have remarkably demonstrated their potential in the diagnosis and treatment of various types of cancers due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and unique physico-chemical attributes. ZnO NPs showed cancer cell specific toxicity via generation of reactive oxygen species and destruction of mitochondrial membrane potential, which leads to the activation of caspase cascades followed by apoptosis of cancerous cells. ZnO NPs have also been used as an effective carrier for targeted and sustained delivery of various plant bioactive and chemotherapeutic anticancerous drugs into tumor cells. In this review, at first we have discussed the role of ZnO NPs in diagnosis and bio-imaging of cancer cells. Secondly, we have extensively reviewed the capability of ZnO NPs as carriers of anticancerous drugs for targeted drug delivery into tumor cells, with a special focus on surface functionalization, drug-loading mechanism, and stimuli-responsive controlled release of drugs. Finally, we have critically discussed the anticancerous activity of ZnO NPs on different types of cancers along with their mode of actions. Furthermore, this review also highlights the limitations and future prospects of ZnO NPs in cancer theranostic.