No abstract

The present research was done to investigate the anticancer properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) fabricated using bioactive extract of Onopordum acanthium L. (AgNPs-OAL) against breast cancer cell MDA_MB231 in vitro. The determination studies of AgNPs-OAL were confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis. Interestingly, FESEM image observed the spherical shape of AgNPs-OAL with the range of 1–100 nm. As AgNP-OAL exhibited significant cytotoxicity properties on breast cancer MDA_MB231 cells with IC50 values of 66.04 μg/mL, while lowing toxicity toward normal human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells with IC50 values of 101.04 μg/mL was evaluated. Further, up-regulation of apoptotic Bax and CAD genes expressions were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) technique results. Moreover, enhanced cell cycle population (sub-G1), annexin V/PI staining, acridine orange and ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining, Hoescht 33258 dye, and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) observed in AgNP-OAL-treated MDA_MB231 cancer cells. The green-synthesized AgNP-OAL has promising anticancer efficiency that can trigger apoptosis pathway in the MDA_MB231 breast cancer cells.