Green synthesis of CuO nanoparticle using Cyperus rotundus and evaluation of their anticancer potentials against lung cancer cells invitro

Abstract

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONps) are known to cause oxidative stress and disrupt normal cellular functions. Due to the negative consequences of chemically manufactured CuONps, the current work focused on the biogenic sol-gel method of CuONps synthesis utilizing Cyperus rotundus as a biocatalyst (CyrCuONps) and the investigation of their anticancer potentials against lung cancer cells. The FTIR and EDAX analysis of synthesized Nps confirms their identification whereas XRD spectrum authorizes the purity of the synthesized Nps. SEM and TEM images show that the CyrCuONps were spherical in shape and had consistent size. The plant extract was shown to have significant antioxidant activity (56.92 %). Cancer cells treated with CyrCuONps exhibited cell shrinking, detachment, membrane blebbing and distorted shape. The MTT experiment confirmed CyrCuONps' cytotoxic capability against cancer cells by significantly lowering cell viability (23.01%) and suppressing cell growth (72.6%). The apoptotic assay revealed the presence of fragmented nuclei with compacted chromatin in treated cells, demonstrating genotoxicity caused by CyrCuONps exposure. In CyrCuO-Nps-treated cells, mRNA profiling indicated a 42% downregulation of mTOR and 56.94% of p13K genes, hence proving the ability of CyrCuONps in causing an aberration in the prognosis of cancer cells. The combined action of different bioactive chemicals in the plant extract and direct toxicities produced by CuONps attributes to their multifaced supremacy in cancer control, and because they are biogenic, they may be considered safe for anticancer treatment in humans.