Biogenic Silver-Selenium nanocomposite with anticancer activity and potent efficacy against vancomycin-resistant...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• The rise of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria and cancer necessitates novel therapeutic agents.
• Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) is a high-priority antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pathogen.
• Developing multifunctional therapeutic agents is crucial for addressing these global health challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To ecofriendly synthesize silver-selenium nanocomposite (Ag-Se NC) using Cucumis melo (C. melo) extract.
• To evaluate the in vitro anticancer efficacy of the synthesized Ag-Se NC against cancer cell lines.
• To assess the inhibitory activity of Ag-Se NC against clinical isolates of VRSA, including biofilm formation.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of Ag-Se NC using C. melo peel extract.
• Physicochemical characterization of Ag-Se NC via spectroscopic analyses.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays on normal and cancer cell lines (WI-38, Hep-G2, MCF-7).
• Antibacterial activity testing against VRSA clinical isolates (MIC, time-kill kinetics, membrane disruption).
• Evaluation of Ag-Se NC effects on VRSA biofilm development and eradication.
• Assessment of Ag-Se NC combined with vancomycin.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized Ag-Se NC with SPR peaks, high crystallinity, and ~35 nm spherical morphology.
• Ag-Se NC exhibited selective cytotoxicity, with low toxicity to normal cells (IC50 = 203.4 µg/mL) and potent inhibition of Hep-G2 (IC50 = 90.97 µg/mL) and MCF-7 (IC50 = 38.18 µg/mL) cells.
• Ag-Se NC showed significant antibacterial activity against 11 VRSA isolates (mean MIC = 203.64 µg/mL), rapid bactericidal kinetics, and membrane disruption.
• Ag-Se NC effectively inhibited VRSA biofilm formation (34.68-72.89%) and partially eradicated established biofilms (16.81-42.59%).
• Synergistic or additive interactions were observed when Ag-Se NC was combined with vancomycin against certain VRSA isolates.

Conclusions:

• Green-synthesized Ag-Se NC is a promising nanoplatform with combined anticancer and antibacterial properties.
• Ag-Se NC demonstrates efficacy against both planktonic and biofilm forms of VRSA.
• The nanocomposite shows potential for antimicrobial potentiation when used with existing antibiotics.