Biogenic Synthesis and Characterization of Ethyl Ferulate Gold Nanoparticle and its Efficacy against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Title:Biogenic Synthesis and Characterization of Ethyl Ferulate Gold Nanoparticle and its Efficacy against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Volume: 15 Issue: 1

Author(s): Jyothsna Unnikrishnan, Mangala Hegde, Aviral Kumar, Sosmitha Girisa, Priyadarshi Satpati*Ajaikumar B. Kunnumakkara*

Affiliation:

• Computational Biology Lab, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam781039, India

• Cancer Biology Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam781039, India

Keywords: Gold nanoparticles, phytochemicals, ethyl ferulate, triple-negative breast cancer.

Abstract:

Background: Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) presents a significant challenge due to its aggressive nature and lack of responsive hormone receptors, predominantly affecting younger premenopausal women. Ethyl ferulate (EF), a notable phytochemical, has demonstrated promising anti-cancer properties. This study aimed to enhance the efficacy of EF by synthesizing and characterizing ethyl ferulate gold nanoparticles (EF-AuNps) to passively target TNBC cells via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect.

Methods: We synthesized EF-AuNps using a direct reduction method and characterized the NPs by employing various techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, DLS, XRD, EDX, TEM, and FT-IR. The anti-proliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 cells was assessed using MTT and colony formation assays, alongside evaluating cell viability with PI-FACS and live/dead assays. Furthermore, a Western blot was performed to determine the mechanism of action of EFAuNps in TNBC cells.

Result: We successfully synthesized triangular EF-AuNps (<100nm) and observed a substantial inhibition of cell proliferation (IC₅₀ 18μg/ml). Compared to EF alone, EF-AuNps significantly enhanced cell death in TNBC cells, as confirmed by flow cytometry and viability assays. Besides, Western blot analysis verified that the expression of apoptotic-related signal proteins, such as survivin, caspase 3, and caspase 9, were modulated by EF-AuNps.

Conclusion: EF-AuNps showed higher anti-cancer efficacy than EF in the MDA-MB-231 cell line. These findings suggest the therapeutic potential of EF-AuNps for TNBC treatment, advocating for further preclinical and clinical investigations into this promising anti-cancer formulation.

Cite this article as:

Unnikrishnan Jyothsna, Hegde Mangala, Kumar Aviral, Girisa Sosmitha, Satpati Priyadarshi*, Kunnumakkara B. Ajaikumar*, Biogenic Synthesis and Characterization of Ethyl Ferulate Gold Nanoparticle and its Efficacy against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, Current Nanomedicine 2025; 15 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0124681873280022240130062923