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Anti-cancer activities of allyl isothiocyanate and its conjugated silicon quantum dots

Peng Liu1, Mehrnaz Behray2, Qi Wang1

  • 1Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom.

Scientific Reports
|January 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) shows a biphasic effect in cancer models. A novel AITC-conjugated silicon quantum dot (AITC-SiQDs) formulation overcomes this, offering optimized anticancer potential via nanotechnology.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Nanotechnology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a cruciferous vegetable phytochemical, demonstrates anticancer properties.
  • AITC exhibits a biphasic effect, influencing cell viability, DNA damage, migration, and angiogenesis differently at high and low doses.
  • Nrf2 pathway modulation and glutathione levels are implicated in AITC's cellular effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the biological activity of a novel AITC-conjugated silicon quantum dots (AITC-SiQDs) formulation.
  • To determine if AITC-SiQDs can overcome the biphasic dose-dependent effects of AITC.
  • To explore the underlying mechanisms of AITC-SiQDs' anticancer activity.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis and characterization of AITC-SiQDs.
  • Assessment of AITC-SiQDs' effects on cancer cell viability, DNA damage, and migration.
  • Evaluation of AITC-SiQDs' impact on angiogenesis.
  • Analysis of Nrf2 translocation, cellular uptake, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Main Results:

  • AITC-SiQDs exhibited similar anticancer effects to AITC at high doses but lacked the stimulatory effects observed at low AITC doses.
  • AITC-SiQDs demonstrated sustained, lower-level activation of Nrf2 nuclear translocation, correlating with cellular uptake.
  • ROS production was identified as a potential mechanism contributing to the anticancer activity of AITC-SiQDs.

Conclusions:

  • AITC-SiQDs offer a promising strategy to optimize the therapeutic potential of isothiocyanates by mitigating dose-dependent biphasic effects.
  • Nanotechnology provides a valuable approach for enhancing the efficacy and safety of dietary phytochemicals in cancer treatment.
  • Further research into AITC-SiQDs could lead to novel nanomedicine-based cancer therapies.

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