Synthesis and evaluation of the cytotoxic and anti-proliferative properties of ZnO quantum dots against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells

- ZnO, originally used in diagnosis and as a drug carrier, is gaining importance for its biological properties.
- Here, we report for the first time, the scope of ZnO QDs for enhanced cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.
- ZnO QDs induced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells at very low concentrations (10 and 15 μg/ml) as compared to other reported ZnO nanostructures. However, HEK-293 cells showed less toxicity.
- ZnO QDs induced nuclear fragmentation and apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and also induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in these cells. Also, breast cancer cell proliferation and migration was drastically decreased.
- Taken together, these ultra-small sized ZnO QDs destabilize cancer cells by using its acidic tumor microenvironment.

Current trends in therapeutic research are the application of nanomaterial carriers for cancer therapy. One such molecule, ZnO, originally used in diagnosis and as a drug carrier, is gaining importance for its biological properties. Here, we report for the first time, the scope of ZnO QDs for enhanced cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. Unlike other ZnO nanostructures, ZnO QDs are dispersed and small sized (8-10 nm) which is believed to greatly increase the cellular uptake. Furthermore, the acidic tumor microenvironment attracts ZnO QDs enhancing targeted therapy while leaving normal cells less affected. Results from MTT assay demonstrated that ZnO QDs induced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells at very low concentrations (10 and 15 μg/ml) as compared to other reported ZnO nanostructures. HEK-293 cells showed less toxicity at these concentrations. Confocal microscope images from DAPI staining and TUNEL assay demonstrated that ZnO QDs induced nuclear fragmentation and apoptosis in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. FACS results suggested ZnO QDs treatment induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in these cells. ZnO QDs drastically decreased the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 as seen from the results of the clonogenic and wound healing assays respectively. Furthermore, our data suggested that ZnO QDs regulated apoptosis via Bax and Bcl-2 proteins as validated by immunofluorescence and western blot. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that these ultra-small sized ZnO QDs destabilize cancer cells by using its acidic tumor microenvironment thereby inducing apoptosis and controlling the cell proliferation and migration at low dosages.