Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> Nanoparticles in Combination with 5-FU Exert Antitumor Effects Superior to Those of the Active Drug in a Colon Cancer Cell Model
Sidika Genc,
Ali Taghizadehghalehjoughi,
Yesim Yeni,
Abbas Jafarizad,
Ahmet Hacimuftuoglu,
Dragana Nikitovic,
Anca Oana Docea,
Yaroslav Mezhuev,
Aristidis Tsatsakis
Affiliations
Sidika Genc
Department of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik 11230, Turkey
Ali Taghizadehghalehjoughi
Department of Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University, Bilecik 11230, Turkey
Yesim Yeni
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
Abbas Jafarizad
Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz 51335-1996, Iran
Ahmet Hacimuftuoglu
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey
Dragana Nikitovic
Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Medical School, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
Anca Oana Docea
Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
Yaroslav Mezhuev
Center of Biomaterials, D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, 125047 Moscow, Russia
Aristidis Tsatsakis
Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
(1) Background: Colon cancer is one of the most common cancer types, and treatment options, unfortunately, do not continually improve the survival rate of patients. With the unprecedented development of nanotechnologies, nanomedicine has become a significant direction in cancer research. Indeed, chemotherapeutics with nanoparticles (NPs) in cancer treatment is an outstanding new treatment principle. (2) Methods: Fe3O4 NPs were synthesized and characterized. Caco-2 colon cancer cells were treated during two different periods (24 and 72 h) with Fe3O4 NPs (6 μg/mL), various concentrations of 5-FU (4–16 μg/mL), and Fe3O4 NPs in combination with 5-FU (4–16 μg/mL) (Fe3O4 NPs + 5-FU). (3) Results: The MTT assay showed that treating the cells with Fe3O4 NPs + 5-FU at 16 µg/mL for 24 or 72 h decreased cell viability and increased their LDH release (p p p p p p 3O4-NPs + 5-FU, the IL-10 gene was downregulated and PTEN gene expression was upregulated (p p 3O4 NPs exert a synergistic cytotoxic effect with 5-FU on Caco-2 cells at concentrations below the active drug threshold levels.
