The function of chitosan/agarose biopolymer on <scp> Fe <sub>2</sub> O <sub>3</sub> </scp> nanoparticles and evaluation of their effects on <scp>MCF</scp> ‐7 breast cancer cell line and expression of <scp>BCL2</scp> and <scp>BAX</scp> genes
Maral Nouri Hajbaba, Mehrab Pourmadadi, Fatemeh Yazdian, Hamid Rashedi, Majid Abdouss, Dina Sadat Zhohrabi
Abstract
Abstract In recent decades, magnetic nanoparticles modified with biocompatible polymers have been recognized as a suitable tool for treating breast cancer. The aim of this research was to evaluate the function of chitosan/agarose‐functionalized Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the MCF‐7 breast cancer cell line and the expression of BCL2 and BAX genes. Free Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. FTIR, XRD, SEM, DLS, VSM, and zeta potential analyses determined the size and morphological characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles. The effect of Fe 2 O 3 free nanoparticles and formulated Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on induction of apoptosis was studied by double‐dye Annexin V‐FITC and PI. Also, the gene expression results using the PCR method displayed that Fe 2 O 3 formulated nanoparticles induced BAX apoptosis by increasing the anti‐apoptotic gene expression and decreasing the expression of pro‐apoptotic gene BCL2, so the cell progresses to planned cell death. In addition, the results showed that the BAX/BCL2 ratio decreased significantly after treatment of MCF‐7 cells with free Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles, and the BAX/BCL2 ratio for Fe 2 O 3 formulated nanoparticles increased significantly. Also, to evaluate cell migration, the scratch test was performed, which showed a decrease in motility of MCF‐7 cancer cells treated with Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles formulated with chitosan/agarose at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 μg/ml.