Protective Effect of Silver Nanoparticles Against Cytosine Arabinoside Genotoxicity: An In Vivo Micronucleus Assay

Abstract

Cancer treatments have harmful side effects, including genotoxic ones. Our previous research discovered that a specific silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) formulation could reduce the genotoxic effects of an alkylating agent, cyclophosphamide. This study aims to evaluate if this protective effect is observed against an antimetabolite anticancer agent, cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). An erythrocyte micronucleus assay was conducted on BALB/c mice. A most significant effect was observed after the application scheme, including three doses of Ara-C and three subsequent doses of AgNPs, resulting in a 3.7 and 2.0-fold decrease in the frequency of micronucleated reticulocytes and accumulated erythrocytes, respectively. Current and previous studies reveal that AgNPs could be used as a genoprotector against the genotoxic damage produced by the currently used antineoplastic antimetabolites and alkylating agents. It was revealed that AgNPs could be considered a new class of promising synthetic antineoplastic genoprotectants along with the known class of derivatives from natural sources.