Enhanced Anticancer Efficacy of Selenium Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Niosomes: A Novel Therapeutic Strategy

Oral squamous cell carcinoma persists as a formidable global health challenge, characterized by notably high morbidity and mortality rates. In this study, the potential of selenium nanoparticles, meticulously encapsulated within niosomes, is explored as a novel therapeutic strategy against HSC-3-a cell line that serves as a model for oral cancer. Employing a thin-film hydration technique for the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles, the resultant nanoparticle formulations were, through the application of dynamic light scattering (DLS), characterized with respect to particle size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index (PDI). The anticancer efficacy of this formulation was evaluated through the MTT assay at time intervals of 24, 48, and 72 h to rigorously assess the cytotoxic effects on HSC-3 cells. Notably, the niosome-encapsulated selenium nanoparticles exhibited a mean diameter of 220 nm and a zeta potential of - 30 mV, indicative of commendable stability, while the consistently low PDI (below 0.2) underscored a uniform particle size distribution. In vitro cytotoxicity results compellingly revealed that these selenium nanoparticles substantially reduced the viability of HSC-3 cells in a manner that was dependent on the duration of exposure, with the most pronounced reduction observed at 72 h post-treatment. Collectively, these findings emphasize the improved anticancer efficacy resulting from the niosomal encapsulation of selenium nanoparticles, which induces significantly enhanced cytotoxic effects against HSC-3 cells. This suggests that niosome-encapsulated selenium nanoparticles may offer considerable promise as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma.