Unveiling the role of novel biogenic functionalized CuFe hybrid nanocomposites in boosting anticancer, antimicrobial and biosorption activities

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 7790 - 22
• Main Authors: Eltarahony, Marwa, Abu-Serie, Marwa, Hamad, Hesham, Zaki, Sahar, Abd-El-Haleem, Desouky
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 08.04.2021; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Algae; Algal growth; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Biofilms; Biosorption; Biosynthesis; Cancer; Caspase-3; Copper - chemistry; Copper - pharmacology; Cytotoxicity; Dyes; Humans; Iron - chemistry; Iron - pharmacology; Nanocomposites; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Nanoparticles; p53 Protein; Remediation; Salts; Streptomyces - metabolism; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87363-z

The quest for eco-friendly and biocompatible nanoparticles (NPs) is an urgent issue in the agenda of the scientific community and applied technology, which compressing synthesis routes. For the first time, a simple route for the biosynthesis of functionalized CuFe-hybrid nanocomposites (FCFNCs) was achieved using Streptomyces cyaneofuscatus through a simultaneous bioreduction strategy of Cu and Fe salts. The suitability of FCFNCs was evaluated medically and environmentally as an anticancer agent, antimicrobial agent and dye bio-sorbent. The physicochemical characteristics of FCFNCs using XRD, EDX, elemental mapping, FTIR, UV-Vis., TEM and ζ-potential confirmed the formation of spheres agglomerated into chains (37 ± 2.2 nm), self-functionalized nanocomposite by proteinaceous moieties with considerable stability (- 26.2 mV). As an anticancer agent, FCFNCs displayed the highest apoptotic impact (> 77.7%) on Caco-2, HepG-2, MCF-7 and PC-3 cancer cells at IC  ≤ 17.21 μg/mL with the maximum up regulation of p53 and caspase 3 expression and the lowest Ki-67 level, relative to both functionalized CuNPs (FCNPs) and FeNPs (FFNPs). Meanwhile, it maintained the viability of normal human cells by EC up to 1999.7 μg/mL. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, FCFNCs offered > 70% growth reduction among wide spectrum prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens. Additionally, the synergistic feature of FCFNCs disintegrated the pre-established biofilm and algal growth in a dose-dependent manner. However, as a bio-sorbent, FCFNCs decolorized > 68% of malachite green and congo red dyes (200 mg/L), reflecting considerable remediation efficiency, confirmed by FTIR of FCFNCs- adsorbed dyes and microtoxicity/cytotoxicity of solutions after remediation. This study offers new insights into promising CuFe-hybrid nanocomposites for recruitment in several applications.