Modification of Gold Nanoparticles Provides Antioxidant and Anti-Tumor Properties

Metal nanoparticles such as gold (Au NPs) are less poisonous than those used in drug transporters through several features, making them predominantly suitable for biological or pharmacological requirements.

manufactured Au-NPs-PEG, then followed by encapsulation with SH-PEG-COOH to create a conjugate, which was validated via X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), in addition to Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The effectiveness of the Au NPs and Au NPs-PEG to MCF-7 (a cell line from human breast cancer) was estimated using antioxidant activity and clonogenicity assays.

The results showed that the produced nanoparticles were generally sphere-shaped with a smooth surface, with sizes of about 20.57 ± 2.51 nm and 29.14 ± 3.31 nm for gold nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles -PEG conjugate, respectively. Investigations were conducted into the antioxidant capacity of Au NPs and Au NPs-PEG conjugate against DPPH, and the Au NPs-PEG conjugate showed the maximum radical scavenging (84.661.79%) in concentration-dependent increments. A clonogenic survival assay investigated Au NPs and Au NPs-PEG conjugates for cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cell line. Au NPs conjugate lowered the number of MCF-7 clones more effectively than the control.

The generated Au NPs-PEG had a strong cytotoxic effect on the MCF-7 cells, accelerating cell death and enhancing cellular absorption of the chemical.