Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Effects of CuO-TiO2-Chitosan-Escin Nanocomposites on Human Leukemic MOLT4 Cells

Abozer Y Elderdery; Abdulaziz H Alhamidi; Ahmed M E Elkhalifa; Maryam M Althobiti; Nawal Eltayeb Omer; Mahdi H Alsugoor; Naif Alsuhaymi; Entesar M Atebien; Siddiqa M A Hamza; Badr Alzahrani; Fehaid Alanazi; Suresh S Kumar; Pooi Ling Mok

doi:10.3390/nano12213753

Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Effects of CuO-TiO₂-Chitosan-Escin Nanocomposites on Human Leukemic MOLT4 Cells

Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Oct 26;12(21):3753. doi: 10.3390/nano12213753.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jouf University, Sakaka 42421, Saudi Arabia.
² Health Sciences Research Unit, Jouf University, Sakaka 42421, Saudi Arabia.
³ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Saudi Electronic University, Riyadh 13316, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Shaqra 15572, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Hereditary Blood Disease Center, Al Ehsaa, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Emergency Medical Services, Faculty of Health Sciences, AlQunfudah, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21912, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ College of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Umm Alqura University Algunfuda, Mecca 24382, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences-AlQurayyat, Jouf University, Sakaka 42421, Saudi Arabia.
¹⁰ Centre for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, India.
¹¹ Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

Nanocomposites comprised of CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin, which has adjustable physicochemical properties, provide a solution for therapeutic selectivity in cancer treatment. By controlling the intrinsic signaling primarily through the mitochondrial signaling pathway, we desired nanocomposites with enhanced anticancer activity by containing CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin. The metal oxides CuO and TiO2, the natural polymer chitosan, and a phytochemical compound escin were combined to form CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin nanocomposites. The synthesized nanocomposites were confirmed and characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, TEM, and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A human leukemia cell line (MOLT-4) was used to assess the efficacy and selectivity of nanocomposites. Based on a cytotoxicity study, CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin nanocomposites had inhibition concentrations (IC50) of 13.68, 8.9, and 7.14 µg/mL against human T lymphoblast cells after 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation, respectively. Compared with untreated MOLT-4 cells, CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin nanocomposite-treated cells significantly increased (p < 0.05) caspase-3, -8, and -9 and decreased the levels of antioxidant enzymes GR, SOD, and GSH. Furthermore, MDA for lipid peroxidase and ROS levels significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the treated cells than in the untreated cells. Remarkably, CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin nanocomposite-mediated control of cell cycles were mainly achieved through the activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9.

Keywords: CuO-TiO2-chitosan-escin nanocomposites; anticancer; antioxidant; caspase; reactive oxygen species.

Grants and funding

DSR-2021-01-0355/Deanship of Scientific Research at Jouf University for the financial support