Sulforaphane-conjugated selenium nanoparticles: towards a synergistic anticancer effect

Abstract

Sulforaphane-modified selenium nanoparticles can be prepared in a simple aqueous-phase redox reaction through reduction of selenite with ascorbic acid. The sulforaphane molecules present in the reaction mixture adsorb on the nanoparticle surface, forming an adlayer. The resulting conjugate was examined with several physicochemical techniques, including microscopy, spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements. As shown in in vivo investigations on rats, the nanomaterial administered intraperitoneally is eliminated mainly in urine (and, to a lesser extent, in feces); however, it is also retained in the body. The modified nanoparticles mainly accumulate in the liver, but the basic parameters of blood and urine remain within normal limits. The sulforaphane-conjugated nanoparticles reveal considerable anticancer action, as demonstrated on several cancer cell cultures in vitro. This finding is due to the synergistic effect of elemental selenium and sulforaphane molecules assembled in one nanostructure (conjugate). On the other hand, the cytotoxic action on normal cells is relatively low. The high antitumor activity and selectivity of the conjugate with respect to diseased and healthy cells is extremely promising from the point of view of cancer treatment.

Selenized Polymer-Lipid Hybrid Nanoparticles for Oral Delivery of Tripterine with Ameliorative Oral Anti-Enteritis Activity and Bioavailability

“…The results also demonstrated that Se could potentiate the anti-inflammatory action of Tri on the base of PLNs. The synergistic effect between Se and therapeutic molecules has been widely confirmed [ 34 , 41 , 42 ]. This was well supported by the declined levels of inflammatory factors in the peripheral blood ( Figure 11 F–H).…”

Brassica‐derived isothiocyanates as anticancer therapeutic agents and their nanodelivery

“…Conjugated nanoparticles prepared by adlayer formation by SFN on selenium exhibited significant anticancer activity and selectivity toward cancer cells as observed in in vitro cytotoxicity experiments. Moreover, the in vivo experiments on male Wistar rats suggested no negative impact, with 48% of the nanoparticles eliminated from the body within 24 h (Krug et al, 2019).…”

Molecular Pathways Related to Sulforaphane as Adjuvant Treatment: A Nanomedicine Perspective in Breast Cancer

“…Interestingly, most of these studies support the activation of apoptosis in tumour cells by promoting the upregulation of pro-apoptotic BAX and Bak and the downregulation of anti-apoptotic bcl-2 and bcl-xL. Furthermore, sulforaphane-coated selenium and tellurium nanoparticles appear to specifically target tumour cells, whereas normal cells, MCF-10A, have a better tolerance to treatment, as observed in the MTT assay [ 61 , 66 , 67 ]. Sulforaphane nanoparticle therapy in breast cancer has consistently anti-tumour effects and therefore its adjuvant administration in combination with other chemotherapeutic drugs through nanoparticles offers great potential.…”

“…Not surprisingly, new perspectives of sulforaphane administration through nano-composite-based therapies have promising results. For instance, the use of nanoparticles of selenium, tellurium, gold-coated Fe 3 O 4 , PEGylated Fe 3 O 4 , monomethoxypol, and based on Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ for the administration of sulforaphane in breast cancer, has recently been documented [ 66 , 67 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. According to the findings of these studies, the anti-tumour effects of nanoparticle treatment are capable of decreasing the viability of tumour cells such as MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and SKBR-3.…”