Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Zn-Organic Framework Down-Regulates Proliferation and Up-Regulates Apoptosis and DNA Damage in Colon and Lung Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

A solvothermal technique was used to prepare a Zn–benzenetricarboxylic acid (Zn@BTC) organic framework covered with a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC/Zn@BTC). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), and Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) surface area were applied to characterize CMC/Zn@BTC. Moreover, the anticancer, anti-migrative, anti-invasive, and anti-proliferative action of CMC/Zn@BTC nanoparticles were assessed on cancer cell lines. Apoptotic markers and DNA damage were assessed to explore the cellular and biological changes induced by CMC/Zn@BTC nanoparticles. The microscopic observation revealed that CMC controls the surface morphology and surface characteristics of the Zn@BTC. The obtained BET data revealed that the Zn@BTC nanocomposite surface area lowers from 1061 m2/g to 740 m2/g, and the pore volume decreases from 0.50 cm3/g to 0.37 cm3/g when CMC is applied to Zn@BTC nanocomposites. The cellular growth of DLD1 and A549 was suppressed by CMC/Zn@BTC, with IC50 values of 19.1 and 23.1 μg/mL, respectively. P53 expression was upregulated, and Bcl-2 expression was downregulated by CMC/Zn@BTC, which promoted the apoptotic process. Furthermore, CMC/Zn@BTC caused DNA damage in both cancer cell lines with diverse impact, 66 percent (A549) and 20 percent (DLD1) compared to cisplatin’s 52 percent reduction. CMC/Zn@BTC has anti-invasive properties and significantly reduced cellular migration. Moreover, CMC/Zn@BTC aims key proteins associated with metastasis, proliferation and programmed cellular death.