Exploring the effect of silver nanoparticles on gene expression in colon cancer cell line HCT116

Abstract

Abstract This study describes a new green method for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Cymbopogon proximus (CP) extract and evaluates their potential anticancer properties in HCT116 cells. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to successfully analyze the AgNPs. FTIR spectral analysis revealed the presence of phytochemicals that could be responsible for silver (Ag) ion reduction and AgNP capping. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay demonstrated that treating HCT116 cells with PC-AgNPs for 48 h caused cytotoxic effects, as evidenced by the existence of 20% cell viability. The RT-qPCR study revealed that the expression of two oncogenes (cathepsin B [CTSB] and epithelial cell adhesion molecule [EpCAM]) was significantly reduced in treated cells. The levels of various tumor suppressor genes, including adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), Beclin1 (BECN1), nuclear translocation of β-catenin (CTNNB1), low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6, LRP5, TP53, and TNF, were dramatically reduced in cells treated with CP extract, but this was not the case in cells treated with CP extract. To conclude, CP-AgNPs have demonstrated their ability to induce cytotoxic action and exert antitumorigenic modulatory effects, particularly on the expression of CTSB and EpCAM in colon cancer cells, utilizing AgNPs as an antitumor therapeutic agent for 48 h is not recommended, and reducing the treatment time could be more effective.