Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles from Morus nigra and its anticancer activity of AGS gastric cancer cells

Abstract

Gastric cancer was a foremost one among the majority of regular carcinoma cases globally. Even the achievements on enhanced treatment approaches and early findings cannot decrease the mortality and morbidity ranges of gastric cancer. This current work was planned to develop Morus nigra-loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles (MN-ZnONPs) and to evaluate the different characteristic methods likes UV–vis spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, FT-IR, EDX and XRD. Furthermore, the anticancer effect of MN-ZnONPs against AGS cells were analysed via cell viability, apoptotic morphological variations by AO/EtBr, alterations of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), cell cycle arrest, lipid peroxidation status (TBARS), antioxidants (SOD, GSH and CAT) and generation of ROS. Moreover, the status of apoptosis gene such as Bax, caspase-9, caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expressions was analysed by using RT-PCR techniques. We observed the synthesized MN-ZnONPs have a spherical shape, crystalline nature and present different functional groups. We also observed that gastric cancer cells demonstrated in cell death by MN-ZnONPs treatments. The MN-ZnONPs induced apoptosis by enhanced formation of ROS, decreased MMP, apoptotic morphological modifications were evaluated by AO/EtBr, increased lipid peroxidation, decreased antioxidants and induced cell cycle arrest were observed. Furthermore, to confirm the molecular mechanism demonstrated of MN-ZnONPs to induce apoptosis by altering the gene expressions of apoptosis markers were observed.