RESUMO
Recently, several attempts have been made to use the phytopharmaceuticals from plant extracts as reducing, capping and stabilizing agents for the biomimetic synthesis of various metal nanoparticles conjugated to the phytopharmaceuticals. These biogenic metal nanoparticles are non-toxic and can be used as contrast agents, drug delivery vehicles and photothermal agents for cancer therapy. Herein, we report the synthesis of both silver and gold nanoparticles using the pollen extract of Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm), characterization using UV-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, quantitation of phytochemicals capping the nanoparticles using Folin - Ciocalteu's method, cytotoxicity studies on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, cancer cell death analysis using fluorescent microscopy, and modulation of expression of the pro-apoptotic p53 and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. The biosynthesis resulted in stable and poly-dispersed silver nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles, exhibiting strong and broad surface plasmon absorption peaks. The elemental analysis confirmed the presence of gold and silver of high purity and also the organic moieties from the plant extract acting as capping and stabilizing agents. The biogenic nanoparticles also exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells and showed signs of apoptotic cell death. Immunoassays revealed the upregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein p53 and down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 after the nanoparticle treatment.
Assuntos
Adenocarcinoma/tratamento farmacológico , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/farmacologia , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Pólen/química , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/genética , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/genética , Adenocarcinoma/metabolismo , Adenocarcinoma/patologia , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/química , Antineoplásicos Fitogênicos/isolamento & purificação , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Neoplasias da Mama/metabolismo , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Morte Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Ensaios de Seleção de Medicamentos Antitumorais , Feminino , Ouro/química , Ouro/farmacologia , Humanos , Células MCF-7 , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Phoeniceae/química , Extratos Vegetais/química , Extratos Vegetais/isolamento & purificação , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/análise , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Prata/química , Prata/farmacologia , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Células Tumorais Cultivadas , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/análise , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/metabolismoRESUMO
The current research focuses on the application of folate conjugated and doxorubicin loaded polymeric gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for the targeted treatment of folate receptor overexpressing breast cancers, augmented by adjunctive laser photothermal therapy. Herein, GNPs surface modified with folate, drug doxorubicin and polyethylene glycol were engineered and were used as vehicles for folate receptor targeted delivery of doxorubicin into cancer cells. Subsequently, the GNPs were photo-excited using laser light for mediating hyperthermia in the cancer cells. In vitro studies were performed to validate the efficacy of the combined modality of folate conjugated and doxorubicin loaded polymeric GNP mediated chemotherapy followed by photothermal therapy in comparison to treatment with free drug; and the combination modality showed better therapeutic efficacy than that of plain doxorubicin treatment in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells that express increased levels of surface folate receptors when compared to MCF-7 breast cancer cells that express low levels of folate receptor. The mechanism of cell death was investigated using fluorescent microscopy. Immunoassays showed the up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein p53 and down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Collectively, these results suggest that the folate tagged doxorubicin loaded GNPs are an attractive platform for targeted delivery of doxorubicin and are agents suitable for photothermal cancer therapy.
Assuntos
Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Doxorrubicina/farmacologia , Transportadores de Ácido Fólico/metabolismo , Ouro/química , Terapia a Laser , Terapia de Alvo Molecular , Polímeros/química , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Apoptose/efeitos da radiação , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Doxorrubicina/química , Doxorrubicina/uso terapêutico , Liberação Controlada de Fármacos , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Ácido Fólico/química , Humanos , Cinética , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Necrose , Fototerapia , Polietilenoglicóis/química , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-bcl-2/metabolismo , Ácidos Sulfônicos/química , Propriedades de Superfície , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/metabolismoRESUMO
The present work was aimed at analysing the role of inoculated microalgae in nutrient dynamics, bioremediation and biomass production of sewage water. Preliminary microscopic analyses of sewage water revealed the presence of different algal groups, with predominance of Cyanophyta. Among the inoculated strains, Calothrix showed highest dry cell weight (916.67 mg L(-1)), chlorophyll and carotenoid content in tap water + sewage water (1:1) treatment. Significant removal of NO3-N ranging from 57-78% and PO4-P (44-91%) was recorded in microalgae inoculated tap water + sewage water. The total dissolved solids and electrical conductivity of tap water + sewage water after incubation with Calothrix sp. decreased by 28.5 and 28.0%, accompanied by an increase in dissolved oxygen from 4.4 to 6.4 mg L(-1) on the 20th day. Our investigation revealed the robustness of Calothrix sp. in sequestering nutrients (N and P), improving water quality and proliferating in sewage water.