Effect of coated carbon nanotubes with chitosan and cover of flaxseed in the induction of MDA-MB-231 apoptosis by analyzing the expression of Bax and Bcl-2

Abstract

IntroductionFunctionalized carbon nanotubes have been used as molecular carriers in the cancer treatment. Medicine molecules bind to the surface functional groups of coated nanotubes or polymers. The aims of this research were to examine the effect of multilayer coated and uncoated carbon nanotubes containing flaxseed extract on MDA-MB-231 cell line and to study changes in induced apoptosis by measuring genes' expression of Bax and Bcl-2. Bcl-2 is anti-apoptotic gene and Bax is apoptotic gene. MethodsIn this study, MDA-MB-231 that is breast cancer cell line was cultured in DMEM medium as the culture media. The cells were divided into four equal groups, control group and three treatment groups. Cells were treated with different concentrations of flaxseed extract as medicine, chitosan-coated carbon nanotube and uncoated carbon nanotubes. The effects of the medicine were evaluated by MTT assay. Changes in the expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were analyzed by Real Time PCR. ResultsThe results showed that the expression level of Bax gene in chitosan-coated nanotubes carrying flaxseed and carbon nanotubes-containing flaxseed extract and crude carbon nanotubes and flaxseed extracts were respectively 9.125, 5.139, 1.576 and 3.151 that have significantly increased. Expression of Bcl-2 gene in chitosan-coated nanotubes containing flaxseed and carbon nanotube-coated nanotubes and crude carbon nanotubes and flaxseed extract were respectively −3.389, −2.915, −1.103 and − 2.604 that have significantly decreased. The results showed that flaxseed extract with carbon nanotube-chitosan nanoparticle carrier in a dose-dependent manner increased Bax gene expression and decreased Bcl-2 gene expression. ConclusionThe results showed that MDA-MB-231 cancer cells treated with carbon nanotube-chitosan nanoparticle and carrier of flaxseed extract had apoptosis and death due to increasing Bcl-2 and decreasing Bax. The use of flaxseed as a medicine and carbon nanotube-chitosan nanoparticle can be considered as a promising strategy in the treatment of breast cancer.