In silico and in vitro cytotoxic effect of prodigiosin-conjugated silver nanoparticles on liver cancer cells (HepG2)

Abstract

This study demonstrates a novel approach for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) using prodigiosin pigment isolated from Serratia marcescens. It further investigates the influence of various parameters such as initial pH, temperature, silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentration, and prodigiosin concentration on stability and optical properties of synthesized prodigiosin AgNPs. Highly stable, spherical prodigiosin-conjugated AgNPs were synthesized with a mean diameter of 9.98 nm using a rapid one-step method. The cytotoxic activity investigated in the present study indicated that prodigiosin and prodigiosin-conjugated AgNPs possessed a strong cytotoxic potency against human liver cancer. The in silico molecular docking results of prodigiosin and prodigiosin-conjugated AgNPs are congruent with the in vitro studies and these AgNPs can be considered as good inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MEK kinases). The study opened the possibility of using prodigiosin-conjugated AgNPs to increase the efficiency of liver cancer treatment.