Nanomedicine Journal

Nanomedicine Journal

Anticancer activity of synthesized Ag-doped CuO nanoparticles using Ephedra intermedia plant against PC-3 prostate cancer cell line

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Prasia Raisi Dehkordi
Azadeh Mohammadgholi
Nastaran Asghari Moghadam
Department of Biology, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
10.22038/nmj.2024.77128.1877
Abstract
Objective(s): This research was done to synthesize Ag-doped copper (CuO) nanoparticles (NPs) using the Ephedra intermedia plant and investigate its anticancer properties against the PC-3 prostate cancer (PC) cell line.
Materials and Methods: Ag-doped-Cu NPs were biologically synthesized using E.intermedia extract. The synthesized Ag-doped-Cu NPs were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), CuK radiation and fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM, respectively) as well as energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX).  The expression of Bax, Bcl2, P53, and caspase-3 genes was evaluated by Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and apoptosis was assayed using Annexin-V kit. Also, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was estimated at 1000 RFU and 1500 RFU in PC-3 cells treated with extract and green-synthesized Ag-doped-Cu NPs.  
Results: The particles were in nano size (55.24-84.41 nm) and the XRD test proved the crystalline structure of NPs. EDAX analysis confirmed the presence of Cu, C, and Ag elements. The results of gene expression showed that the IC50 concentration of the doped NPs makes a significant increase in the Bax, caspase-3, and P53 expression levels and a significant decrease in the Bcl2 expression compared to the reference gene and the extract-treated cells. Treatment with doped NPs induced more apoptosis and necrosis than that of treatment with extract. Also, a remarkable enhancement in nitric oxide (NO) enzyme levels was found in the doped NPs compared to the extract alone.
Conclusion: This study proves that the doped NPs induce apoptosis by affecting the expression of pro-apoptotic genes and ROS over-production. 
Keywords
Anticancer properties
Apoptotic properties
Ag-doped CuO NPs
Ephedra intermedia
PC-3 prostate cancer cell line
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Nanomedicine Journal
Volume 12, Issue 1
Winter 2025
Pages 85-98