Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles reduced with Trigonella foenum-graecum and their effect on tumor necrosis factor-α in MCF7 cells

A.A.H. Abdellatif, S.K. Osman, M. Alsharidah, O. Al Rugaie, T.M. Faris, A. Alqasoumi, A.M. Mousa, A. Bouazzaoui

Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Buraydah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. a.abdellatif@qu.edu.sa

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• Pharmacy

OBJECTIVE: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. They have been reported to reduce the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) – a proinflammatory cytokine involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis – in cell lines. As patients with breast cancer have been reported to have higher serum TNF levels, we aimed at developing a novel treatment for breast cancer by evaluating the effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum extract (TFG)-reduced AgNPs on the MCF-7 cell line, which serves as a model of human breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: TFG-capped AgNPs were synthesized using a green reduction method, in which TFG reduced silver nitrate to generate AgNPs-TFG. The particle size, surface charge, ultraviolet (UV)-visible (VIS) spectra, surface morphology, % yield, and in vitro Ag+ release of the formulated AgNPs-TFG were evaluated. Additionally, the prepared NPs were examined for cytotoxicity using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR), 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: The prepared AgNPs-TFG were uniform, small, discrete, and non-aggregated with a particle size of 22.5±0.75 nm and ζ-potential of -47.45±0.666 mV. The yield of AgNPs-TFG was 224.545±3.9 µM. Furthermore, the AgNP-TFG thin film exhibited a prolonged release of Ag+ in phosphate buffer for up to 11 h. AgNPs-TFG suppressed TNF-α expression at mRNA and protein levels in MCF-7 cells. Additionally, the formulated AgNPs-TFG did not exhibit any toxicity toward MCF-7 cells.

CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that AgNP-TFG could effectively inhibit TNF-α. These results provide significant insights for developing new therapeutic strategies for cancer and other inflammatory illnesses.

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