Functionalized SWCNTs@Ag–TiO <sub>2</sub> nanocomposites induce ROS-mediated apoptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells
Majid S. Jabir, Mustafa K. A. Mohammed, Salim Albukhaty, Duha S. Ahmed, Asad Syed, Abdallah M. Elgorban, Rajalakshmanan Eswaramoorthy, Hayder M. Al‐kuraishy, Ali I. Al‐Gareeb, Suresh Ghotekar, Sabrean Farhan Jawad, Mazin A. A. Najm
Abstract
Abstract Hybrid nanomaterials with unique physiochemical properties have received a lot of attention, making them attractive for application in different fields like cancer treatment. This study was designed to investigate the combined effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) hybridized with silver titanium dioxide composite (SWCNTs@Ag–TiO 2 ). Transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated the accumulation of SWCNTs with Ag–TiO 2 due to an increased main grain size with functionalization to 40 nm. The D and G bands in SWCNTs @Ag–TiO 2 shifted to 1,366 and 1,534 cm −1 , respectively. SWCNTs@Ag-TiO 2 were assessed for their cytotoxicity and autophagy induction in liver cancer cells (Hep-G2) using the lactate dehydrogenase assay, MTT assay, and flow cytometry methods. The results showed that SWCNTs and SWCNTs@Ag–TiO 2 exhibited strong anti-cancer activity in vitro against Hep-G2 cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagy in liver cancer cells via controlling the AKT and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. The results show that SWCNTs and SWCNTs coated with silver/titanium dioxide (SWCNTs@Ag–TiO 2 ) reduce the cells’ viability and proliferation. It was shown that an excessive amount of reactive oxygen species was a crucial mediator of both the cell death caused by SWCNTs and the cell death caused by SWCNTs combined with Ag–TiO 2 . Based on these findings, it appears that SWCNTs and SWCNTs@Ag–TiO 2 have the potential to be developed as nanotherapeutics for the treatment of liver cancer cells.