Anticancer activity of a novel naringin‒dextrin nanoformula: Preparation, characterization, and in vitro induction of apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by inducing ROS generation, DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle arrest

Abstract

Dextrin is a polysaccharide but is small and of low complexity. Naringin is a flavonoid widely known for its pharmacological properties. This study aimed to create a naringin–dextrin nanoformula (NDN) to improve the effects of free naringin against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2). Transmission electron microscopy, particle size distribution, entrapment efficiency, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize NDN. The findings showed that the biological activity of naringin and NDN may be enhanced by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and anti-inflammatory reactions mediated by decreased expressions of nuclear factor kappa B and interleukin-8. These changes induced apoptosis via a decrease in the expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 and an increase in the expression levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein, caspase-3, caspase-9, p53, and programmed cell death 5. Moreover, the results revealed a decrease in the expressions of isoleucine–glutamine motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1, isoleucine–glutamine motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 3, and Ras signaling and an increase in the expression of isoleucine–glutamine motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 2. Thus, NDN improved naringin's therapeutic action against HepG2 by activating anti-inflammatory responses and inducing apoptosis via ROS generation, DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle arrest.