Investigation of structural differences of silica, silver and iron nanoparticles on the proliferation of human lung cancer

Lung cancer, one of the critical respiratory system diseases, has the highest morbidity rate (14.3%) among men and third in women (8.4%) worldwide. Severe side effects and ineffectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs lead to the investigation of new functional agents. One of the latest strategies against the proliferation of cancer is using nanoparticles. On the other hand, the natural composition of those particles significantly affects their efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the structural differences of silver, iron, and silica nanoparticles on lung cancer cells. All nanoparticles were synthesized with an average size of 40 nm, and their particle sizes were characterized by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Transmission electron microscopes (TEM). The cell viability and cytotoxic potential of nanoparticles were investigated using the Alamar Blue reagent. The ratio of the alive and dead cells was determined by the Automated Cell Counter using Trypan Blue. Localization of nanoparticles in the cells was visualized floresans microscope. Within the nanoparticles, the silica nanoparticle (SiNPs) showed the highest cytotoxicity in the lung cancer cell line with an IC 50 value of 151.3μg/mL in a dose-dependent manner. Neither FeNPs nor AgNPs showed significant toxic effects on the proliferation of A549 cells (>250µg/mL). SiNPs were localized mainly in the cytoplasm. SiNPs have seen higher catalytic activity than AgNPs and FeNPs. The functionalization of the surface of silica nanoparticles and the ability to bind functional groups or drug candidates both on the surface and inside make them an essential agent in cancer treatments.