Green fabrication of copper oxide nanoparticles by Tragopogon collinus leaf extract: Characterization and exploring their selective anticancer effects against human leukemia cell line

Abstract

Extending the studies on the preparation of nanoparticles using green chemistry, we present here a facile and simple method for the fabrication of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles using Tragopogon collinus leaf extract. The characteristics of biologically synthesized CuO nanoparticles were determined by several techniques including UV–vis spectroscopy, FITR, XRD, XPS, TEM, and DLS. Subsequently, the anticancer activity of bio-fabricated CuO nanoparticles against human leukemia (K562) cell line was assessed through MTT, ROS, apoptosis, caspase-9/-3, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and qPCR analyses, whereas lymphocytes were used as control. The outcomes demonstrated that crystalline CuO nanoparticles had an average size of 50 nm, a zeta potential of - 33.91 mV, and a hydrodynamic radius of 88.31 nm with a PDI of 0.193, revealing the high dispersion ability of the nanoparticles. The cytotoxic activity against K562 cell line and lymphocytes showed that fabricated CuO nanoparticles had a selective anticancer activity against K562 cells through generation of ROS, apoptosis induction, elevation of caspase-9/-3 activity, reduction of MMP, overexpression of Bax and caspase-9/-3, and downregulation of Bcl-2 at mRNA level, determining the anticancer effects of biosynthesized CuO nanoparticles through mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis signaling pathway. Therefore, based on the scientific achievements it can be concluded that fabricated CuO nanoparticles may be used in future studies to augment the activities of anticancer drugs in vivo and in clinical trials.