Biologically synthesis of gold nanoparticles using var. extract and the study of anti-cancer properties on AGS gastric cancer cells.

Plant extract-mediated synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is an eco-friendly and cost-effective biosynthesis method that is more suitable for biological applications than chemical ones. We prepared novel gold NPs (AuNPs), mediated-AuNPs (CJ-AuNPs), using a biosynthetic process involving (Herba Cirsii, CJ) ethanol extract. The physicochemical properties of CJ-AuNPs were characterized using spectrometric and microscopic analyses. The stability of CJ-AuNPs was studied for 3 months. Moreover, the selective human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cell killing ability of CJ-AuNPs was verified in cancer and normal cells. An study revealed that CJ-AuNPs trigger oxidative stress and iron-dependent ferroptosis in AGS cells. Mechanistically, CJ-AuNPs induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe, and lipid peroxidation accumulation, and mitochondrial damage by destroying the glutathione peroxidase-4 (GPX4)-dependent antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, in a xenograft mouse model implanted with AGS cells, treatment with 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg CJ-AuNPs for 16 days reduced tumor xenograft growth in a dose dependent manner without systemic toxicity. These results demonstrate that CJ-AuNPs exert anticancer effects and by inducing ferroptosis-mediated cancer cell death. This study, based on green-synthesized nanodrug-induced ferroptosis, provides new insight into potential developments in cancer therapies.