Effect of Ag nanoparticles on viability of MCF-7 and Vero cell lines and gene expression of apoptotic genes

Background The newly emerged technology, nanotechnology, represents a promising solution for many medical and industrial problems. Random targeting, resistance, and side effects are the main disadvantages of the available cancer chemotherapy which are critical aspects needed to be managed. So the aim of the study was to suggest the nanoparticles as an alternative therapy for the available therapies through detecting the cytotoxic effect of Ag nanoparticles against cancer and normal cell lines and how they affect the apoptotic function and the genes involved. Results Ag NPs exhibited a killing rate of 40% in MCF-7 cells (the cancer cell model) at a concentration of 100 mu g/ml with almost no effect on Vero cells (the normal cell model). Concerning the phenotypic apoptotic changes that were analyzed by Acridine orange and eosin and hematoxylin, Ag NPs caused the apoptosis and Vacuole degeneration as well as cell formation and the emergence of Necrotic cells in MCF-7 cells, whereas in the normal cell line Vero, no change appears in its phenotype. Treating MCF-7 and Vero cells with Ag NPs upregulated the P53 and P21 gene expression in Vero cells, but their expression was downregulated in MCF-7 cells. PTEN was augmented in both MCF-7 and Vero cells compared to the control. Conclusions The AgNPs displayed selective effect in their cytotoxicity and both induced the apoptosis effect and might be suggested as a potential therapy since an increase in PTEN expression (up to 250-fold more compared to the control) due to the treatment with AgNPs augments the tumor suppressor effects of the PTEN.