Hybrid nanocomposite curcumin-capped gold nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide: Anti-oxidant potency and selective cancer cytotoxicity

PLoS One. 2019 May 14;14(5):e0216725. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216725. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Nanotechnology-based antioxidants and therapeutic agents are believed to be the next generation tools to face the ever-increasing cancer mortality rates. Graphene stands as a preferred nano-therapeutic template, due to the advanced properties and cellular interaction mechanisms. Nevertheless, majority of graphene-based composites suffer from hindered development as efficient cancer therapeutics. Recent nano-toxicology reviews and recommendations emphasize on the preliminary synthetic stages as a crucial element in driving successful applications results. In this study, we present an integrated, green, one-pot hybridization of target-suited raw materials into curcumin-capped gold nanoparticle-conjugated reduced graphene oxide (CAG) nanocomposite, as a prominent anti-oxidant and anti-cancer agent. Distinct from previous studies, the beneficial attributes of curcumin are employed to their fullest extent, such that they perform dual roles of being a natural reducing agent and possessing antioxidant anti-cancer functional moiety. The proposed novel green synthesis approach secured an enhanced structure with dispersed homogenous AuNPs (15.62 ± 4.04 nm) anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets, as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy, surpassing other traditional chemical reductants. On the other hand, safe, non-toxic CAG elevates biological activity and supports biocompatibility. Free radical DPPH inhibition assay revealed CAG antioxidant potential with IC50 (324.1 ± 1.8%) value reduced by half compared to that of traditional citrate-rGO-AuNP nanocomposite (612.1 ± 10.1%), which confirms the amplified multi-potent antioxidant activity. Human colon cancer cell lines (HT-29 and SW-948) showed concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxicity for CAG, as determined by optical microscopy images and WST-8 assay, with relatively low IC50 values (~100 μg/ml), while preserving biocompatibility towards normal human colon (CCD-841) and liver cells (WRL-68), with high selectivity indices (≥ 2.0) at all tested time points. Collectively, our results demonstrate effective green synthesis of CAG nanocomposite, free of additional stabilizing agents, and its bioactivity as an antioxidant and selective anti-colon cancer agent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Curcumin / chemistry*
  • Curcumin / pharmacology*
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanocomposites / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • graphene oxide
  • Gold
  • Graphite
  • Curcumin

Grants and funding

This study was funded by University Malaya Research Grant UMRG [RP044C-17AET] – University of Malaya, Malaysia, received by W.A. Yehye. The project was further supported by South Asia Taiwan Universities SATU grant [ST018-2017] received by W.A. Yehye. The funding sources had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.