Antitumor and Radiosensitizing Effects of Zinc Oxide-Caffeic Acid Nanoparticles against Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma in Female Mice

• Main Authors: Hayam M. Sayed MSc, Mahmoud M. Said PhD, Nadia Y. S. Morcos PhD, Mona A. El Gawish PhD, Amel F. M. Ismail PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SAGE Publishing 2021-06-01
• Series: Integrative Cancer Therapies
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1177/15347354211021920
• ISSN: 1534-7354; 1552-695X

This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer and radio-sensitizing efficacy of Zinc Oxide-Caffeic Acid Nanoparticles (ZnO-CA NPs). ZnO-CA NPs were formulated by the conjugation of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with caffeic acid (CA) that were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FT-IR), X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In vitro anticancer potential of ZnO-CA NPs was evaluated by assessing cell viability in the human breast (MCF-7) and hepatocellular (HepG2) carcinoma cell lines. In vivo anticancer and radio-sensitizing effects of ZnO-CA NPs in solid Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice (EC mice) were also assessed. Treatment of EC mice with ZnO-CA NPs resulted in a considerable decline in tumor size and weight, down-regulation of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) gene expressions, decreased vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) level, downregulation of phosphorylated-extracellular-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (p-ERK1/2) protein expression, DNA fragmentation and a recognizable peak at sub-G 0 /G 1 indicating dead cells’ population in cancer tissues. Combined treatment of ZnO-CA NPs with γ-irradiation improved these effects. In conclusion: ZnO-CA NPs exhibit in-vitro as well as in-vivo antitumor activity, which is augmented by exposure of mice to γ-irradiation. Further explorations are warranted previous to clinical application of ZnO-CA NPs.