Moringa oleifera mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their Anti-cancer activity against A549 cell line of lung cancer through ROS/ Mitochondrial damage

Dawei Qian ¹ Dongsheng Zha ¹ Yuanyao Sang ¹ Jiangquan Tao ¹ Youshuang Cheng ^2*

• ¹ Tongling Yi'an District People's Hospital, Tongling, China
• ² Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China

Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) hold significant promise in lung cancer treatment due to their unique physicochemical properties, enabling targeted drug delivery, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced systemic toxicity. This study is aimed to produce the Au-NPs utilising Moringa oleifera and evaluate their effectiveness in the treatment of lung cancer, with a specific focus on A549 cell lines. The synthesized Au-NPs were characterised using several microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The evaluation of the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of Au-NPs and its impact on apoptosis was conducted through the measurement of caspase activation and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Anti-cancer characteristics was conducted by employing DAPI staining. Furthermore, the influence on ROS production and mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated at the IC50 concentration using fluorescence microscopy, employing DCFH-DA and Rhodamine 123 dyes. The Au-NPs exhibited an IC50 value of 50 µg/ml against the A549 lung cancer cells. The DAPI staining results revealed that both concentrations of AuNP, 25 µg/ml and 50 µg/ml, exhibited noteworthy anti-cancer and apoptotic properties. Unlike other studies that typically address a broader spectrum of cancer types, this study uniquely focusses on lung cancer, specifically targeting the A549 cell line. By showcasing the pronounced cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of M. oleifera -mediated Au-NPs on A549 lung cancer cells, the findings provide a promising foundation for their potential clinical application in lung cancer treatment.