Authors: Juan J. Martínez-Sanmiguel, Diana Zarate-Triviño, Maria Paula García-García, José Miguel García-Martín, Álvaro Mayoral, Yves Huttel, Lidia Martínez and Jorge L. Cholula- Díaz.
Article.
RSC Adv. 14, 39102 (2024)
Date: 10.DEC. 2024.
Doi:10.1039/d4ra06227b
Abstract:
Breast cancer poses a global threat with rising incidence and high mortality. Conventional treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and immunotherapy, have side effects, such as resistance issues and adverse effects due to genetic mutations. Meanwhile, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized using environmentally friendly methods offer alternative treatments. Bimetallic gold (Au) and silver (Ag) NPs, using natural compounds like starch as stabilizers, enhance biomedical applications, including breast cancer therapies. In this work, the optical properties, stability, and particle size of colloidal bimetallic Ag/Au NPs were analyzed using UV-visible spectroscopy and ζ -potential measurements. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studied structural properties, while scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) determined morphology, chemical composition, and particle size. The antitumor properties of Ag/Au NPs were analyzed on breast cancer cells (MCF-7) using the MTT viability method, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and genotoxicity assays. Healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used as a reference. UV-vis spectroscopy and EDX mapping analysis confirmed the synthesis of bimetallic Ag/Au NPs. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption bands shifted from 407 nm (Ag) to 524 nm (Au)
based on the chemical composition. NPs showed cytocompatibility in PBMCs and a dose-dependent anticancer effect against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, as well as cell death dependent on ROS production was observed, particularly in NPs with atomic compositions of 50 and 75 at% Ag. This biological activity was associated with genotoxic damage of 20−24% greater than that observed in monometallic NPs. This study demonstrated the synthesis of mono- and bimetallic Ag/Au NPs using a rapid, reproducible, environmentally friendly method, with successful biomedical application
against MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
