Aluminum doping tunes band gap energy level as well as oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells.
We investigated whether Aluminum (Al) doping tunes band gap energy level as well as selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Pure and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol-gel method. Characterization study confirmed the formation of single phase of Al(x)Zn(1-x)O nanocrystals with the size range of 33-55 nm. Al-doping increased the band gap energy of ZnO nanoparticles (from 3.51 eV for pure to 3.87 eV for Al-doped ZnO). Al-doping also enhanced the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress response of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. The IC50 for undoped ZnO nanoparticles was 44 μg/ml while for the Al-doped ZnO counterparts was 31 μg/ml. Up-regulation of apoptotic genes (e.g. p53, bax/bcl2 ratio, caspase-3 &caspase-9) along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, Al-doping did not change the benign nature of ZnO nanoparticles towards normal cells suggesting that Al-doping improves the selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles toward MCF-7 cells without affecting the normal cells. Our results indicated a novel approach through which the inherent selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer cells can be further improved.
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Mohd Javed
MJ
Akhtar
Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Hisham A
HA
Alhadlaq
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.|Nanomedicine Research Unit, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Aws
A
Alshamsan
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
M A
MA
Majeed Khan
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Maqusood
M
Ahamed
D000535:Aluminum; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015034:Zinc Oxide
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000535:Aluminum; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9; D015034:Zinc Oxide