Surface-Engineered Selenium Nanoparticles with L-Asparagine and Tartaric Acid - Therapeutic Efficacy Against Breast Cancer and Bacterial Infections

Q: Why were L-asparagine and tartaric acid used to functionalize selenium nanoparticles?

They were used to overcome SeNP instability and aggregation in aqueous solutions, improving solubility, stability, and biological efficacy.

Q: How were the Asn-Tar/SeNPs nanocomposites characterized?

Structural and physicochemical characterization used FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential analysis, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Q: What biological activities were assessed in vitro?

Antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and normal fibroblast cells across pH levels (MTT assay), and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including antibiotic-resistant strains.

Q: How did the nanocomposite perform at acidic pH?

It retained approximately 50% of its cytotoxic activity at acidic pH (4.5), supporting efficacy under more challenging conditions.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Ben

Background: Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) demonstrate antioxidant and anticancer potential with lower toxicity than other selenium forms, yet they precipitate and aggregate in aqueous media due to high surface energy. To enhance stability and biological performance, L-asparagine/tartaric acid (Asn-Tar) was used for surface functionalization. Methods: SeNPs were synthesized by co-precipitation and coated with Asn-Tar, then characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential, and UV-Vis. Antioxidant, cytotoxicity (MTT), and antimicrobial activity were evaluated in vitro across pH conditions. Results: Asn-Tar/SeNPs formed a spherical nanocomposite (≈460.8 nm), with negative zeta potential and confirmed coating. The composite showed dose-dependent antioxidant activity, potent and selective cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells, retained activity at acidic pH, and exhibited strong antibacterial effects. Conclusion: The nanocomposite supports targeted therapeutic potential for breast cancer and bacterial infections.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

What’s Known

What’s New

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Keywords

Correspondence

IJMS Vol 51, No 6, June 2026 Original Article Surface-Engineered Selenium Nanoparticles with L-Asparagine and Tartaric Acid: Therapeutic Efficacy Against Breast Cancer and Bacterial Infections Abdolrazagh Marzban1\# , PhD; Khadije Salari Nejad2\# , MD; Maryam Zand3 , PhD; Masumeh Jalalvand2 , PhD; Hamed Esmaeil Lashgarian4 , PhD 1Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran; 2Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran; 3 Department of Medical Biotechnology, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran; 4Department of Medical Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran \#The authors contributed equally to this work. Correspondence: Hamed Esmaeil Lashgarian, PhD; Department of Medical Genetics and Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Moalem St. , Shahid Anoushirvan Rezaei Sq. , Postal code: 6814933118, Khorramabad, Iran Tel: +98 66 33300661 Email: [Hamedlashkarian2@gmail.com](Hamedlashkarian2@gmail.com) Received: 24 September 2025 Revised: 09 December 2025 Accepted: 28 December 2025 |
What’s Known
• Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) possess strong antioxidant and anticancer properties with lower toxicity than other selenium forms.
• However, their biomedical application is limited by instability and aggregation in aqueous media, necessitating surface functionalization strategies to improve solubility, stability, and biological performance.

What’s New | | --- | | • Functionalization with tartaric acid and L-asparagine produced stable SeNPs with potent activity against antibioticresistant bacteria (MIC=0 .071 mg/mL) and selective cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cells (IC₅₀=3 .47 µg/mL), retaining efficacy at acidic pH. | Abstract Background: Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), compared to other forms of selenium, have shown promising antioxidant and anticancer properties with lower toxicity. However, SeNPs precipitate and aggregate in aqueous solutions due to their high surface energy. To overcome this limitation and improve stability, solubility, and enhance biological efficacy, we functionalized them with L-asparagine/ tartaric acid (Asn-Tar). This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant properties of SeNPs conjugated to Asn-Taron MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Methods: This study was conducted at Lorestan, Iran, in 2023. SeNPs were synthesized using a co-precipitation method and then coated with Asn-Tar. Structural characterization was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning electronmicroscopy(SEM), Transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential analysis, and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Antioxidant activity was assessed. For biological evaluation, an in vitro experimental design was employed. Cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and normal fibroblast cells at various pH levels was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay with three independent replicates per concentration (n=3). Antimicrobial activity against a panel of Gram-positive and Gramnegative bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains, was evaluated in triplicate using broth microdilution and well diffusion methods. Quantitative data are presented as mean±SD. Statistical significance was determined using Student’s t test and one-way ANOVA, with P<0.05 considered significant. Results: The synthesized Asn-Tar/SeNPs nanocomposite exhibited a spherical morphology with an average size of 460.8 nm, a negative zeta potential (-9.37±0.44 mV), and successful coating was confirmed by FTIR and XRD. The nanocomposite demonstrated dose-dependent antioxidant activity, with an IC₅₀ of 22.

FAQs

Why were L-asparagine and tartaric acid used to functionalize selenium nanoparticles?

They were used to overcome SeNP instability and aggregation in aqueous solutions, improving solubility, stability, and biological efficacy.

How were the Asn-Tar/SeNPs nanocomposites characterized?

Structural and physicochemical characterization used FTIR, XRD, SEM, TEM, DLS, zeta potential analysis, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

What biological activities were assessed in vitro?

Antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and normal fibroblast cells across pH levels (MTT assay), and antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria including antibiotic-resistant strains.

How did the nanocomposite perform at acidic pH?

It retained approximately 50% of its cytotoxic activity at acidic pH (4.5), supporting efficacy under more challenging conditions.

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Ben