Dextran-Graft-Polyacrylamide/Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Inhibit of Cancer Cells in vitro and in vivo

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Eden

Dextran-graft-Polyacrylamide/ZnO nanoparticles are evaluated as an anticancer strategy against prostate and breast cancer cells alongside non-malignant controls. In vitro and in vivo zinc behavior is tracked using fluorescence imaging, while ROS and apoptotic markers are quantified by cytometry. In a rat Walker-256 carcinosarcoma model, zinc accumulation and histopathological changes are assessed in tumor and major organs after treatment with the nanocomplex alone or combined with doxorubicin. The nanosystems internalize into cancer and non-cancer cells but show significantly lower cytotoxicity toward non-malignant cells, efficiently promoting tumor cell death without notable organ damage.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Nanotechnology and nanomedicine background

Properties and applications of ZnO nanoparticles

Methods

Nanoparticle formulation and in vitro models

Imaging and assays

In vivo rat model and tissue evaluation

Results

ZnO nanoparticle dissociation and zinc release

ROS upregulation and metabolism effects

Tumor volume reduction and organ zinc accumulation

Conclusion

Selective internalization and reduced non-malignant cytotoxicity

International Journal of Nanomedicine Dovepress Open Access Full Text Article ORIGINAL RESEARCH Dextran-Graft-Polyacrylamide/Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Inhibit of Cancer Cells in vitro and in vivo Petro Virych 1 , Pavlo Virych 2 , Volodymyr Prokopiuk3 ,4 , Anatolii Onishchenko 3 , Mykola Ischenko 2 , Volodymyr Doroschuk2 , Valentyna Kurovska 5 , Anton Tkachenko 4 , Nataliya Kutsevol 2 1Laboratory of Mechanisms of Drug Resistance, R. E. Kavetsky Institute for Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology, Kyiv, Ukraine; 2Faculty of Chemistry, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine; 3Research Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Kharkiv National Medical University, Kharkiv, Ukraine; 4Department of Cryobiochemistry, Institute for Problems of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine; 5Educational and Scientific Center “Institute of Biology and Medicine”, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine Correspondence: Pavlo Virych, Faculty of Chemistry, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 60 Volodymyrska str, Kyiv, 01601, Ukraine, [Email pavlo.virych@knu.ua](Email pavlo.virych@knu.ua); Anton Tkachenko, Department of Cryobiochemistry, Institute for Problems of Cryobiology and Cryomedicine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 23 Pereyaslavskaya St, Kharkiv, 61015, Ukraine, Email [as.tkachenko@knmu.edu.ua](as.tkachenko@knmu.edu.ua) | Introduction: Tumor drug resistance and systemic toxicity are major challenges of modern anticancer therapy. Nanotechnology makes it possible to create new materials with the required properties for anticancer therapy.
Methods: In this research, Dextran-graft-Polyacrylamide/ZnO nanoparticles were used. The study was carried out using prostate (DU-145, LNCaP, PC-3), breast (MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, MCF-7 Dox) cancer cells and non-malignant (MAEC, BALB/3T3 clone A31) cells. Zinc was visualized with fluorescence in vitro and in vivo. ROS and apoptotic markers were identified by cytometry. Zinc accumulation and histopathological changes in the tumor, liver, kidney, and spleen were evaluated in a rat model.
Results: ZnO nanoparticles dissociation and release of Zn2+ into the cytosol occurs in 2–3 hours for cancerous and non-cancerous cells. ROS upregulation was detected in all cells. For non-malignant cells, the difference between the initial ROS level was insignificant. The rate of carbohydrate metabolism in cancer cells was reduced by nanosystems. Zinc level in the tumor was upregulated by 25% and 39% after treatment with nanosystems and doxorubicin combined, respectively. The tumor Walker-256 carcinosarcoma volume was reduced twice following mono-treatment with the nanocomplex and 65-fold lower when the nanocomplex was combined with doxorubicin compared with controls. In the liver, kidney and spleen, the zinc level increased by 10–15% but no significant pathological alterations in the tissues were detected.
Conclusion: D-PAA/ZnO NPs nanosystems were internalized by prostate, breast cancer cells and non-malignant cells via endocytosis after short time, but cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells were significantly lower in vitro and in vivo. D-PAA/ZnO NPs nanocomplex efficiently promoted cell death of tumor cells without showing cytotoxicity against non-malignant cells making it a promising anticancer agent.
Keywords: zinc oxide nanoparticles, doxorubicin, prostate cancer, breast cancer, zinc imaging, histopathology | | --- | | Introduction
The last few decades have witnessed significant advances in nanotechnology. The organization of materials into nanoscale structures noticeably changes their properties. Nanosize-mediated characteristics allow nanoparticles to interact with cellular structures in a special way.1 All nanomaterials have a large surface area-to-volume ratio, which significantly increases their reaction properties. Despite significant progress in nan

FAQs

How were zinc accumulation and intracellular effects measured in vitro and in vivo?

Zinc was visualized using fluorescence in vitro and in vivo. ROS and apoptotic markers were identified by cytometry, and zinc accumulation with histopathological changes was evaluated in a rat model.

What treatment comparisons were tested for tumor growth?

Tumors were treated with the nanocomplex alone (mono-treatment) and with the nanocomplex combined with doxorubicin, and results were compared against controls in the Walker-256 carcinosarcoma model.

Did the nanoparticles cause similar toxicity in cancer and non-malignant cells?

Cytotoxicity against non-cancer cells was significantly lower in vitro and in vivo. The nanocomplex efficiently promoted cell death of tumor cells without showing cytotoxicity against non-malignant cells.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Eden