Molecular investigation to RNA and protein based interaction induced in vivo biocompatibility of phytofabricated AuNP with embryonic zebrafish

Abstract

Implication of gold nanoparticles in industrial and day-to-day life products at extensive scale has raised concern about their toxicity to environment and human health. Moreover, quest of new technologies for production of biocompatible nanoparticles increased. This study explores the molecular toxicology of AuNP with enlightenment of their green synthesis using medicinal plant extract as reducing and stabilizing agent. Synthesized CAuNP were characterized for their physiochemical properties by standard techniques like FESEM, TEM, DLS, UV–Vis spectroscopy and FTIR. GCMS analysis revealed the involvement of –OH compounds for CAuNP synthesis. Determined size and zeta potential of CAuNP was found to be 21 ± 08 nm and –24 ± 11 mV with SPR peak at 554 nm. LC50 of CAuNP with zebrafish embryos was 69 ± 12 µg/ml compared to 52 ± 06 µg/ml of AuNP. Gold nanoparticles were found to exhibit concentration dependent morphological abnormalities with acute effect at cellular and molecular level. Experimental and computational analysis depicted the nanotoxicity of gold nanoparticles as a consequence of oxidative stress generation leading to apoptosis due to their influential interaction with Sod1, He1a and tp53 mRNA and proteins. The investigation deciphered the nanotoxicity of gold nanoparticles and suggested the implication of new green methodology for their future productions.