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Volume 19, Issue 3 (Iranian Journal of Breast Diseases 2026)
ijbd 2026, 19(3): 4-19 |
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Ethics code: IR.RUMS.REC.1399.107
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Salandari Rabori M, Mirmotalebi M, Ebrahimi Shahmabadi, Noroozi-Karimabad M. Impact of Green-Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles on Stemness and Apoptotic Gene Expression in MCF-7 Cells. , ijbd. 2026; 19 (3) :4-19
URL: http://ijbd.ir/article-1-1197-en.html
URL: http://ijbd.ir/article-1-1197-en.html
1- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
2- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
3- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
4- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran ,mojgan.noroozi@yahoo.com
2- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
3- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
4- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran ,
Abstract: (673 Views)
Introduction: Plant-derived gold nanoparticles have attracted growing interest as anticancer agents because they combine environmentally friendly synthesis with favorable biological compatibility. While their anticancer activity has been reported in a variety of experimental models, their effects on molecular regulators associated with breast cancer stemness, particularly cancer stem cell-related markers and regulatory microRNAs, remain incompletely understood. This study, therefore, investigated whether gold nanoparticles synthesized from walnut shell extract could modulate the expression of OCT4, NANOG, P53, miR-21, and miR-145, all of which play important roles in breast cancer progression.
Methods: Gold nanoparticles were synthesized using walnut shell extract and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were exposed to cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. Expression levels of OCT4, NANOG, P53, miR-21, and miR-145 were measured using SYBR Green real-time PCR, and relative expression was calculated with the 2⁻ΔΔCt method. Statistical comparisons were performed using two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.
Results: Treatment with walnut-derived gold nanoparticles reduced the viability of MCF-7 cells in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner. At the molecular level, expression of the stemness markers OCT4 and NANOG, together with the oncogenic microRNA miR-21, declined significantly after treatment. In contrast, both P53 and the tumor-suppressive microRNA miR-145 were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). These findings suggest concurrent suppression of stemness-associated pathways alongside activation of tumor-suppressive mechanisms.
Conclusion: Walnut shell-derived gold nanoparticles influenced several molecular regulators associated with breast cancer cell survival and stemness. Taken together, these findings support further mechanistic studies better to understand the biological effects of these green-synthesized nanoparticles. However, additional validation in complementary experimental models and functional assays will be necessary before their therapeutic relevance can be fully established.
Methods: Gold nanoparticles were synthesized using walnut shell extract and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. MCF-7 breast cancer cells were exposed to cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. Expression levels of OCT4, NANOG, P53, miR-21, and miR-145 were measured using SYBR Green real-time PCR, and relative expression was calculated with the 2⁻ΔΔCt method. Statistical comparisons were performed using two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test.
Results: Treatment with walnut-derived gold nanoparticles reduced the viability of MCF-7 cells in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner. At the molecular level, expression of the stemness markers OCT4 and NANOG, together with the oncogenic microRNA miR-21, declined significantly after treatment. In contrast, both P53 and the tumor-suppressive microRNA miR-145 were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). These findings suggest concurrent suppression of stemness-associated pathways alongside activation of tumor-suppressive mechanisms.
Conclusion: Walnut shell-derived gold nanoparticles influenced several molecular regulators associated with breast cancer cell survival and stemness. Taken together, these findings support further mechanistic studies better to understand the biological effects of these green-synthesized nanoparticles. However, additional validation in complementary experimental models and functional assays will be necessary before their therapeutic relevance can be fully established.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
molecular cell
Received: 2026/02/14 | Accepted: 2026/07/11 | Published: 2026/10/22
Received: 2026/02/14 | Accepted: 2026/07/11 | Published: 2026/10/22
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