mRNA transcriptome profiling of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells HepG2 treated with -silver nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND

The demand for the development of cancer nanomedicine has increased due to its great therapeutic value that can overcome the limitations of conventional cancer therapy. However, the presence of various bioactive compounds in crude plant extracts used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) makes its precise mechanisms of action unclear.

AIM

To assessed the mRNA transcriptome profiling of human HepG2 cells exposed to G. Don ()AgNPs.

METHODS

The proliferative activity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and normal human liver (THLE3) cells treated with AgNPs were measured using MTT assay. The RNA samples were extracted and sequenced using BGIseq500 platform. This is followed by data filtering, mapping, gene expression analysis, differentially expression genes analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, and pathway analysis.

RESULTS

The mean IC values of AgNPs on HepG2 was 4.38 ± 1.59 μg/mL while on THLE3 cells was 800 ± 1.55 μg/mL. Transcriptome profiling revealed an alteration of 296 genes. AgNPs induced the expression of stress-associated genes such as , and . Cellular signalling pathways were potentially activated through MAPK, TNF and TGF pathways that are responsible for apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The alteration of , indicated the uptake of -AgNPs both clathrin-dependent and clathrin-independent endocytosis.

CONCLUSION

This study provides new insights into gene expression study of biosynthesised AgNPs on cancer cells. The cytotoxicity effect is mediated by the aberrant gene alteration, and more interestingly the unique selective antiproliferative properties indicate the AgNPs as an ideal anticancer candidate.