In vitro antiproliferative and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in human lung carcinoma cells by Ag doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles

Abstract

In the current study, ZnFe2O4 (ZFO) and Ag0.05Zn0.95Fe2O4 (ZSFO) nanoparticles were synthesised to provide powerful anticancer nanomedicines. The characteristics of as-prepared ZFO and ZSFO NPs were examined using the XRD, XPS, FE-SEM, and UV/Vis analyses. The RT-qPCR research showed that the amount of mRNA expression of proteins like p53, p21, and caspase-3 was up-regulated after A549 cells were exposed to Ag0.05Zn0.95Fe2O4 NPs. When ROS was tested, the results revealed the production of free radicals, which were then offset by decreased SOD and catalase activity. The findings showed that Ag0.05Zn0.95Fe2O4 NPs not only suppressed the growth of A549 cancer cells by inducing apoptosis but also more effectively controlled the migration of cancer cells. With an LC50 value of 7.17 µg/ml, which is lower than that of conventional 5-FU (13.73 µg/ml), and Ag0.05Zn0.95Fe2O4 treated with normal cells (L929 fibroblast), the LC50 value was determined to be 172.9 µg/mL after exposure to Ag0.05Zn0.95Fe2O4 NPs for 24 h.