Anticancer effect of Poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone/chitosan/silver nanoparticles) nanocomposite synthesized by gamma radiation

Poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone/chitosan/Ag nanoparticles) Poly (NVP/CS/AgNPs) nanocomposite was prepared by using gamma radiation. Silver nitrate was reduced to AgNPs by using gamma radiation to create highly stable, and evenly dispersed AgNPs within the nanocomposite network. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) analysis are used to identify the characteristics of the prepared nanocomposite. The newly biocompatible Poly (NVP/CS/AgNPs) nanocomposite prepared by the gamma radiation is used as a model for an anticancer drug. Regarding its application on cancer cells, the results of the outcome demonstrate that the Poly (NVP/CS/AgNPs) nanocomposite significantly decreased the HepG2 cell viability from 100% to 1.5% after 72 hours using the concentration of 30 mu g/ml, and the IC50 recorded 10.024 mu g/ml at 72 hours of treatment. Moreover, the treatment with the Poly (NVP/CS/AgNPs) nanocomposite increases the cytotoxicity against cancer cells at different concentrations 30 mu g/ml and 3.75 mu g/ml at different time intervals of 24, 48, and 72 hours. The percent change of MDA, and H2O2 increased in treated cells, and was recorded at 127%, and 69%, respectively, but the CAT activity decreased by 47% in comparison with untreated cells. Relative gene expression was performed in the control, and treated group. The gene expression revealed that the Bcl-2 gene expression as the anti-apoptotic gene was downregulated in the treated group. In contrast, the apoptotic gene BAX was upregulated, and reached 7383-fold in the group treated. The Bax/Bcl2 ratio reached 625.19 which is an excellent indicator of apoptosis. Using western blot, the protein expression increased for Caspse-3 and P53 recorded at 203% and 109%, respectively. In conclusion, Poly (NVP/CS/AgNPs) nanocomposite has a potent effect on killing cancer cells.