Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Capped with PEG Induce Apoptosis in Breast Cancer AMJ13 Cells Via Mitochondrial Damage and Reduction of NF-κB Translocation

In the current study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) was employed to cap super magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) through hydrothermal preparation. The main goal of this study is to investigate the influence of physical incorporation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) loaded Fe3O4. The anticancer potentials of these particles were studied against breast cancer cell line (AMJ13). Syntheses bare Fe3O4, and Fe3O4-PEG were confirmed by TEM, SEM, and FTIR. The size of Fe3O4 nanoparticles range of 9–20 and 5–12 nm for the Fe3O4–PEG nanoparticles which exerted superparamagnetic properties as well as elevated saturation level of magnetization at ambient conditions. The MTT test was employed to detect the ability of the bare Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-PEG on the proliferative of AMJ13 cells. IC50 values was 37.33 µg mL− 1 for bare Fe3O4 and 18.23 µg mL−1 for Fe3O4-PEG. AMJ13 Cells exposed to bare Fe3O4, and Fe3O4-PEG NPs demonstrated a significant cell death, which increased with PEG, loaded Fe3O4 NPs. The capability of Fe3O4-PEG to induce cellular apoptosis was tested using DAPI, Acridine orange/ Ethedium bromide stains, flow cytometry, with the assays of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence were performed to measure expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins. The toxicity of bare Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-PEG nanoparticles using animal model were investigated. Animal’s body weight, liver and kidney function enzymes, and histological alterations for liver, kidney, and lungs were addressed. The findings demonstrated that nanoparticles were biocompatible with liver and kidney function enzymes and no significant alterations were recorded in the liver, kidney and the lungs. Both nanoparticles revealed a proliferation inhibitory effect on AMJ13 cells, resulting in apoptosis as a novel pathway that involve the mitochondrial damage and NF-kB. Taken together the present data suggest that bare Fe3O4 and Fe3O4-PEG could be promising therapy protocol for cancer cells.