Hydrothermal synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles: mosquitocidal potential and anticancer activity on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

Abstract

Mosquito vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) are responsible for transmission of serious diseases worldwide. Mosquito control is being enhanced in many areas, but there are significant challenges, including increasing resistance to insecticides and lack of alternative, cost-effective, and eco-friendly products. To deal with these crucial issues, recent emphasis has been placed on plant materials with mosquitocidal properties. Furthermore, cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with approximately 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths in 2012. It is expected that annual cancer cases will rise from 14 million in 2012 to 22 million within the next two decades. Nanotechnology is a promising field of research and is expected to give major innovation impulses in a variety of industrial sectors. In this study, we synthesized titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles using the hydrothermal method. Nanoparticles were subjected to different analysis including UV-Vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), zeta potential, and energy-dispersive spectrometric (EDX). The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and normal breast epithelial cells (HBL-100). After 24-h incubation, the inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were found to be 60 and 80 μg/mL on MCF-7 and normal HBL-100 cells, respectively. Induction of apoptosis was evidenced by Acridine Orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EtBr) and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining. In larvicidal and pupicidal experiments conducted against the primary dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti, LC50 values of nanoparticles were 4.02 ppm (larva I), 4.962 ppm (larva II), 5.671 ppm (larva III), 6.485 ppm (larva IV), and 7.527 ppm (pupa). Overall, our results suggested that TiO2 nanoparticles may be considered as a safe tool to build newer and safer mosquitocides and chemotherapeutic agents with little systemic toxicity.

Toxicity on Dengue Mosquito Vectors Through Myristica fragrans-Synthesized Zinc Oxide Nanorods, and Their Cytotoxic Effects on Liver Cancer Cells (HepG2)

“…Overall, the biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles have a good multipurpose potential, to function as natural selective killers on highly proliferating cancer cells [48,49], with special reference to HepG2 cells. In conclusion, although the application of zinc oxide nanoparticles in cancer therapy looks intriguing and exciting, specific tumor cell targeting will be essential (e.g., nanoparticles functionalization with cellular ligands) because these nanoparticles are killers of all rapidly proliferating cells, irrespective of their benign or malignant nature.…”

Salvianolic acid B protects against myocardial damage caused by nanocarrier TiO₂; and synergistic anti-breast carcinoma effect with curcumin via codelivery system of folic acid-targeted and polyethylene glycol-modified TiO₂ nanoparticles

“…5 In particular, due to the fact that TiO 2 can generate highly reactive radical oxygen species under ultraviolet (UV)-light irradiation and lead to cancer-cell death, it is promising for a new class of photodynamic therapy agent. 6 For instance, Yin et al 4 compounded upconverting NPs with a mesoporous TiO 2 shell for near-infrared (IR)-triggered drug delivery and synergistic targeted cancer therapy.…”

“…30,31 In our work, apart from the anticancer effect of Cur and Sal B, the TiO 2 nanocarrier also exerted antitumor efficacy via generating reactive radical oxygen species in tumor sites. 4,5 It has been reported that Cur has stronger anticancer effects via multiple mechanisms. Firstly, Cur inhibits tumor-cell proliferation and induces the apoptosis of tumor cells by suppressing the Akt-mTOR-p70S6K pathway, activating the ERK1-2 signal pathway, and inducing the arrest of cell G 2 /M.…”

Nanofabrication of Graphene Quantum Dots with High Toxicity Against Malaria Mosquitoes, Plasmodium falciparum and MCF-7 Cancer Cells: Impact on Predation of Non-target Tadpoles, Odonate Nymphs and Mosquito Fishes

“…Cell proliferation was monitored by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, as described by Mosmann [39], with slight modification by Murugan et al [40]. Exponentially growing MCF 7 cells (1 9 10 4 cells per mL) were seeded in 96-well plates in a final volume of 100 mL per well and treated with series (1-50 mg ml -1 ) of test samples (GQDs) in FCS free complete medium for 48 h. 100 mL of MTT (5 mg ml -1 ) were added to treated cells, and the plates were incubated at 37°C for 4 h. The supernatant was aspirated and 100 mL of DMSO was added to each well to dissolve the formosan crystals.…”