Nanocomposites of iron oxide, sodium alginate, and eugenol induce apoptosis via PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling in Hep3 cells and in vivo hepatotoxicity in the zebrafish model

Hepatic cancer is among the most recurrently detected malignancies worldwide and one of the main contributors to cancer-associated mortality. With few available therapeutic choices, there is an instant necessity to explore suitable options. In this aspect, Nanotechnology has been employed to explore prospective chemotherapeutic approaches, especially for cancer treatment. Nanotechnology is concerned with the biological and physical properties of nanoparticles in the therapeutic use of drugs. In the current work, formulation, and characterization of α-Fe2O3-Sodium Alginate-Eugenol nanocomposites (FSE NCs) using several approaches like SEM and TEM, UV-visible, FTIR, and PL spectroscopy, XRD, EDAX, and DLS studies have been performed. With an average size of 50 nm, the rhombohedral structure of NCs was identified. Further, their anticancer activity against Hep3B liver cancer cell lines has been performed by cell viability, dual staining, DCFH-DA, Annexin-V/-FITC/PI, cell cycle analysis methods, and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling proteins were studied to assess the anticancer effects of the NCs in Hep3B cells. Also, anti-cancer activity on animal modeling in-vivo using zebra fishes to hematological parameters, liver enzymes, and histopathology study effectiveness was noticed. Moreover, the NCs reduced the viability, elevated the ROS accumulation, diminished the membrane integrity, reduced the antioxidants, blocked the cell cycle, and triggered the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling axis that eventually resulted in cell death. As a result, FSE NCs possess huge potential for use as a possible anticancer candidate.

Structural, Optical, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Properties of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Prepared by Green Synthesis Using Morinda citrifolia Leaves Extract

Currently, new advancements in the area of nanotechnology opened up new prospects in the field of medicine that could provide us with a solution for numerous medical complications. Although a several varieties of nanoparticles is being explored to be used as nanomedicines, cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) are the most attractive due to their biocompatibility and their switchable oxidation state (+3 and +4) or in other words the ability to act as prooxidant and antioxidant depending on the pH condition. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is preferred to make it more economical, eco-friendly, and less toxic. The aim of our study here is to formulate the CeO2 NPs (CeO2 NPs) using Morinda citrifolia (Noni) leaf extract and study its optical, structural, antibacterial, and anticancer abilities. Their optical and structural characterization was accomplished by employing X-ray diffractography (XRD), TEM, EDAX, FTIR, UV-vis, and photoluminescence assays. Our CeO2 NPs expressed strong antibacterial effects against Gram-positive S. aureus and S. pneumonia in addition to Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumonia when compared with amoxicillin. The anticancer properties of the green synthesized CeO2 NPs against human acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) MOLT-4 cells were further explored by the meticulous study of their ability to diminish cancer cell viability (cytotoxicity), accelerate apoptosis, escalate intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, decline the mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) level, modify the cell adhesion, and shoot up the activation of proapoptotic markers, caspase-3, -8, and -9, in the tumor cells. Altogether, the outcomes demonstrated that our green synthesized CeO2 NPs are an excellent candidate for alternative cancer therapy.