Journal of Advanced Research

Journal of Advanced Research

Volume 56, February 2024, Pages 43-56
Journal of Advanced Research

Original Article
Silver nitroprusside as an efficient chemodynamic therapeutic agent and a peroxynitrite nanogenerator for targeted cancer therapies

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2023.03.005Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Highlights

  • A simple mixing procedure has been utilized to synthesize bimetallic silver nitroprusside (AgNP) as CDT agent together with peroxynitrite generator.

  • AgNP decomposes more endogenous H2O2 to produce highly toxic radicals.

  • AgNP are involved in the inhibition of AKT pathway, which is involved in cell survival, angiogenesis, proliferation, and apoptosis.

  • AgNP showed biocompatible nature towards normal mouse liver and ovarian organoids while are toxic on PDTO through altering the redox homeostasis.

Abstract

Introduction

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) holds great promise in achieving cancer therapy through Fenton and Fenton-like reactions, which generate highly toxic reactive species. However, CDT is limited by the lower amount of catalyst ions that can decompose already existing intracellular H2O2 and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) to attain a therapeutic outcome.

Objectives

To overcome these limitations, a tailored approach, which utilizes dual metals cations (Ag+, Fe2+) based silver pentacyanonitrosylferrate or silver nitroprusside (AgNP) were developed for Fenton like reactions that can specifically kill cancer cells by taking advantage of tumor acidic environment without used of any external stimuli.

Methods

A simple solution mixing procedure was used to synthesize AgNP as CDT agent. AgNP were structurally and morphologically characterized, and it was observed that a minimal dose of AgNP is required to destroy cancer cells with limited effects on normal cells. Moreover, comprehensive in vitro studies were conducted to evaluate antitumoral mechanism.

Results

AgNP have an effective ability to decompose endogenous H2O2 in cells. The decomposed endogenous H2O2 generates several different types of reactive species (OH, O2•−) including peroxynitrite (ONOO) species as apoptotic inducers that kill cancer cells, specifically. Cellular internalization data demonstrated that in short time, AgNP enters in lysosomes, avoid degradation and due to the acidic pH of lysosomes significantly generate high ROS levels. These data are further confirmed by the activation of different oxidative genes. Additionally, we demonstrated the biocompatibility of AgNP on mouse liver and ovarian organoids as an ex vivo model while AgNP showed the therapeutic efficacy on patient derived tumor organoids (PDTO).

Conclusion

This work demonstrates the therapeutic application of silver nitroprusside as a multiple ROS generator utilizing Fenton like reaction. Thereby, our study exhibits a potential application of CDT against HGSOC (High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer), a deadly cancer through altering the redox homeostasis.

Graphical abstract

Schematic representation of multiple ROS-generation-based tumor-therapy approach of AgNP.

  1. Download : Download high-res image (131KB)
  2. Download : Download full-size image

Keywords

Self-therapeutic NP
Silver nitroprusside
Reactive oxygen species
Peroxynitrite
Ovarian cancer organoids

Cited by (0)