ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Anticancer potential of Cu₄O₃ NPs against human ovarian teratocarcinoma: an in-vitro validation

Nasimudeen R. Jabir, Aisha Mahboob, Mohd Suhail, Mohd Shahnawaz Khan, Mohammed Arshad, and Shams Tabrez

Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Research and Development, PRIST University, Vallam, Thanjavur, India

E-mail: jabirnr@gmail.com

Received: 6 September 2023  Accepted: 3 December 2023

Abstract:

The green approach of synthesizing nanoparticles is an efficient, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and rapid technique in which plant sources act as capping/stabilizing and reducing agents. The current study aimed to investigate the anticancer potential of biosynthesized Cu₄O₃ NPs against the human ovarian teratocarcinoma cell line (PA-1). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) were used to predict the size and morphology of the biosynthesized nanoparticles. The SEM image revealed a 200 nm size of Cu₄O₃ NPs; however, TEM data showed the spherical shape of the Cu₄O₃ NPs in the range of ≤ 100 nm. A range of biological evaluations, such as cytotoxicity assay, morphological alteration, induction of apoptosis by three different staining techniques (AO/EB dual staining, DAPI, and PI staining), ROS production, and alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential were performed. We observed a dose-dependent cytotoxicity of Cu₄O₃ NPs in the PA-1 cell line with an IC₅₀ dose of 9.5 µg/ml. Furthermore, Cu₄O₃ NP treatment induced apoptosis, which was confirmed by all three adopted staining techniques while inducing ROS production and modulating mitochondrial membrane potential. Our findings highlight the anticancer potential of Cu₄O₃ NPs against the studied cell line, which needs to be further explored because of its cost-effectiveness and eco-friendly nature.

Keywords: Anticancer; Apoptosis; Biogenic Cu4O3 NPs; Ovarian cancer

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-023-03272-7

Chemical Papers 78 (5) 2811–2821 (2024)