Cytotoxic Effect of a Novel GaFe2O4@Ag Nanocomposite Synthesized by Scenedesmus obliquus on Gastric Cancer Cell Line and Evaluation of BAX, Bcl-2 and CASP8 Genes Expression

• Published in: Journal of cluster science 2023-03, Vol.34 (2), p.1065-1075
• Main Authors: Sharif, Ali Panahi, Habibi, Kobra, Bijarpas, Zahra kohanrooz, Tolami, Hedyeh Fazel, Alkinani, Tabarek Abdulrazaq, Jameh, Mohaddeseh, Dehkaei, Artadokht Aghaeipour, Monhaser, Saba Kargar, Daemi, Hakimeh Baghaei, Mahmoudi, Aida, Masouleh, Reza Saei, Salehzadeh, Ali
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Anticancer properties; Apoptosis; Biocompatibility; Cancer therapies; Catalysis; Cell cycle; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Cytotoxicity; Efficiency; Flow cytometry; Functional groups; Gastric cancer; Gene expression; Genes; Inorganic Chemistry; Morphology; Nanochemistry; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Original Paper; Physical Chemistry; X-ray diffraction; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 1040-7278; 1572-8862
• DOI: 10.1007/s10876-022-02288-5

Finding novel and efficient anticancer compounds for treating gastric cancer is vitally important and magnetic nanocomposites have gained attention for cancer chemotherapy. In this work, GaFe 2 O 4 @Ag nanocomposite was fabricated by Scenedesmus obliquus extract, characterized by physio-chemical analyses, including FT-IR, XRD, DLS, VSM, Zeta potential, SEM, TEM, and EDS-mapping. Then, the anti-cancer effect of the fabricated nanocomposite on gastric cancer cells was investigated. The spherical fabricated nanocomposite particles were in the size range of 10–50 nm, without elemental impurity and with a zeta potential of − 45.7 mV. The functional groups in nanocomposites were characterized by the FT-IR and the presence of Ag by XRD analysis. The inhibitory concentration 50 (IC 50 ) of GaFe 2 O 4 @Ag for the AGS and HEK293 normal cells was 64.4 and 305 µg/mL, respectively. The flow cytometry analysis showed apoptosis induction in 87.11% of nanocomposite treated cells and also cell cycle arrest at sub-G1 phase by 94.77%, which were significantly higher than control cells. Increased expression of the BAX , Bcl-2 , and CASP8 genes was noticed by 2.65, 1.25, and 1.95 folds, respectively. Finally, the Hoechst staining showed pro-apoptotic morphological features in nanocomposite treated cells. The results suggest activation of the apoptotic pathway as the main cytotoxic mechanism of the fabricated nanocomposite. Therefore, GaFe 2 O 4 @Ag could be a promising anticancer agent against gastric cancer cells.