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Trigger of apoptosis in adenocarcinoma gastric cell line (AGS) by a complex of thiosemicarbazone and copper nanoparticles

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Abstract

Background

Seeking novel anticancer agents with minimal side effects against gastric cancer is vitally important. Copper, as an important trace element, takes roles in different physiologic pathways. Also, there is a higher demand for copper in cancer cells than normal ones. Copper complexes containing a therapeutic ligand could be promising candidates for gastric cancer chemotherapy.

Methods and results

In this work, copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized, functionalized with glutamic acid (CuO@Glu) and conjugated with thiosemicarbazone (CuO@Glu/TSC NPs). The NPs were characterized and their antiproliferative potential against AGS cancer cells was investigated using MTT, flow cytometry, Hoechst staining, and caspase 3 activation assays. The FT-IR results showed the proper binding of TSC to CuO@Glu NPs and crystallinity of the prepared NPs was confirmed by the XRD pattern. The EDX analysis confirmed the presence of Cu, N, C, O, and S elements and lack of impurities. The Hydrodynamic size and zeta potential of the CuO@Glu/TSC NPs were 168 nm and 27.5 mV, respectively. The NPs had spherical shape and were in a size range of 10 to 60 nm in diameter. This work revealed that CuO@Glu/TSC NPs efficiently inhibited the proliferation of AGS cells with significantly lower IC50 value (203 µg/mL) than normal HEK293 cells (IC50 = 435 µg/mL). Flow cytometry and Hoechst staining obviously revealed apoptosis induction among CuO@Glu/TSC treated cells, and caspase-3 activity significantly increased by 1.4 folds.

Conclusions

This study introduced CuO@Glu/TSC as an efficient anticancer against gastric cancer cells with lower toxicity toward normal cells which could be employed for cancer treatment after further studies.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to appreciate Dr. Zeinab Moradi-Shoeili for collaborate on the interpretation of chemical spectra.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

    Mahsa Badrooh, Faezeh Shokrollahi, Taraneh Ghasemipour, Haniyeh Farahnak & Ali Salehzadeh

  2. Department of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran

    Shaghayegh Javan

  3. Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

    Samira Rezaei Mojdehi

  4. Department of Biology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran

    Mahboubeh Jahani Sayyad Noveiri

  5. Pediatric Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

    Mohammad Hedayati

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  1. Mahsa Badrooh
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Contributions

Conceptualization: MB and AS; Methodology: AS; Formal analysis and investigation: MB, FSH, SHJ, SRM, MJ, HF and MH; Writing—original draft preparation: AS; Editing: AS; Resources: MB, FSH, SHJ, SRM, MJ, TGH, HF and MH; Supervision: AS.

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Correspondence to Ali Salehzadeh.

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Badrooh, M., Shokrollahi, F., Javan, S. et al. Trigger of apoptosis in adenocarcinoma gastric cell line (AGS) by a complex of thiosemicarbazone and copper nanoparticles. Mol Biol Rep 49, 2217–2226 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-021-07043-z

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