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Comparative Analysis of Aptamer-Conjugated Chemical and Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy in
Mariam W Helal1, Mohanad M Faried1, Sohaila Mohammed Salah1
1Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract:
Breast cancer remains a challenging health issue, demanding innovative treatment approaches that maximize efficacy while minimizing damage to healthy cells. Targeted therapy offers a promising strategy tailored to the unique characteristics of breast cancer tumors. Gold nanoparticles have been studied in the context of their therapeutic potential towards cancer treatment showing great success. Recently, aptamers were also investigated for their targeting efficiency towards specific receptors allowing their use in targeting delivery systems. In this study, computational analysis was used to confirm the strong binding between AS1411 aptamer and the nucleolin receptor extensively present on the surface of breast cancer cells, highlighting the aptamer's potential for specific targeting. Furthermore, we investigated and compared the use of AS1411 aptamer-conjugated chemically synthesized (GNPs) and flaxseed-green-synthesized (Fs-GNPs) gold nanoparticles as targeting therapeutic systems for breast cancer cells. Our results showed successful conjugation of the AS1411 aptamer with both, the GNPs and Fs-GNPs. Characterization of the nanoparticles and their conjugates validates their size, charge, and morphology, affirming the success of the conjugation process. Cytotoxicity assessments using the MTT assay demonstrated the effectiveness of the conjugates against breast cancer cells, with the AS1411-Fs-GNPs conjugate exhibiting higher inhibitory efficacy, featuring an IC50 value of 11.13 µg/ml. In contrast, they showed minimal effect on normal cells, emphasizing the selectivity and potential safety of these therapies. To our knowledge, this is the first report of conjugating AS1411 aptamer to green-synthesized gold nanoparticles and its use as a targeting therapeutic system.
Insights
This study developed targeted gold nanoparticles for breast cancer therapy. Aptamer-conjugated green-synthesized gold nanoparticles (AS1411-Fs-GNPs) showed superior efficacy and selectivity against cancer cells.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology and Nanomedicine
- Cancer Therapeutics
- Molecular Targeting
Background:
- Breast cancer necessitates advanced treatments that enhance efficacy and minimize off-target toxicity.
- Targeted therapy, utilizing agents that specifically bind to cancer cells, presents a promising strategy.
- Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and aptamers are explored for their potential in cancer treatment and targeted delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To computationally confirm the binding affinity of the AS1411 aptamer to the nucleolin receptor on breast cancer cells.
- To synthesize and characterize AS1411 aptamer-conjugated chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and green-synthesized gold nanoparticles (Fs-GNPs).
- To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and selectivity of these targeted nanoparticle systems against breast cancer cells.
Main Methods:
- Computational analysis to assess AS1411 aptamer-nucleolin receptor binding.
- Synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and green-synthesized gold nanoparticles (Fs-GNPs) using flaxseed extract.
- Conjugation of AS1411 aptamer to both types of gold nanoparticles.
- Characterization of nanoparticles and conjugates (size, charge, morphology).
- In vitro cytotoxicity assessment using the MTT assay on breast cancer and normal cell lines.
Main Results:
- Computational analysis confirmed strong binding between AS1411 aptamer and the nucleolin receptor.
- Successful conjugation of AS1411 aptamer to both chemically synthesized and green-synthesized gold nanoparticles was achieved and validated.
- The AS1411-Fs-GNPs conjugate demonstrated superior cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells (IC50 = 11.13 µg/ml) with minimal impact on normal cells.
Conclusions:
- The AS1411 aptamer is a suitable targeting ligand for breast cancer cells via nucleolin receptor interaction.
- AS1411-conjugated green-synthesized gold nanoparticles represent a novel, effective, and selective targeted therapeutic system for breast cancer.
- This study presents the first report of AS1411 aptamer conjugation to green-synthesized gold nanoparticles for targeted breast cancer therapy.
