Green immobilized Ag NPs over magnetic Fe3O4 NPs using Pomegranate juice induces apoptosis via P53 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways in human gastric cancer cells

Abstract

• The extract was used as a green reducing agent and an excellent stabilizer of the synthesized Ag NPs. • The anti-gastric cancer effects of biologically synthesized Fe 3 O 4 /Ag NPs against gastric cancer cell lines were assessed. • The antioxidant activity of Fe 3 O 4 /Ag NPs was determined by DPPH method. Herein, we demonstrate the bio-inspired synthesis Ag NPs over surface of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 NPs by using Pomegranate juice (PJ). The Pomegranate juice was used as an eco-friendly media which acted as green reductant and the in-situ stabilizer for the synthesized Ag NPs. The inherent structural and morphological properties of the as-synthesized Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs was analyzed by electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping, vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The anti-gastric cancer properties of the biogenic Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs were assessed against gastric cancer cell lines. The Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag material could significantly combat the growth of GC1415, NCI-N87 and MKN45 cancer cells in a time and concentration-dependent manner, as determined by MTT assay. Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs induces cell apoptosis, accompanied by the up regulation of pro-apoptotic markers (Bax and cleaved caspase-8) and down regulation of the anti-apoptotic marker, Bcl-2. Moreover, Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs inhibits colony formation compared to their matched control. More significantly, the molecular pathway analysis of Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs-treated cells revealed that Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs enhances p53 expression, while inhibiting the expression of total and phosphorylated Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in cell lines, suggesting p53 and STAT3 are the main key players behind the biological events provoked by the extract in human gastric cancer cells. The antioxidant activity of Fe 3 O 4 @PJ/Ag NPs was also determined by DPPH method. The significantly good IC 50 value indicated the material as an excellent antioxidant.