Syzygium cumini (L.) Extract-Derived Green Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Induce Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis in Hepatic Cancer Cells

An aqueous extract of Syzygium cumini seeds was utilized to green synthesize titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO(2) NPs). UV-Visible, DLS, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, TEM, SAED, EDAX, and photoluminescence spectroscopy techniques were employed to characterize the prepared TiO(2) nanoparticles. The rutile crystal structure of TiO(2) NPs was revealed by XRD study. The TEM and FESEM images of the TiO(2) NPs revealed an average particle size of 50–100 nm. We employed EDAX to investigate the elemental compositions of TiO(2) NPs. The O-Ti-O stretching bands appeared in the FTIR spectrum of TiO(2) NPs at wavenumbers of 495 cm(−1). The absorption edge peaks of TiO(2) NPs were found in the UV-vis spectra at 397 nm. The MTT study revealed that TiO(2) NPs effectively inhibited the growth of liver cancer Hep3 and Hep-G2 cells. The results of the corresponding fluorescent staining assays showed that TiO(2) NPs significantly increased ROS generation, decreased MMP, and induced apoptosis in both liver cancer Hep3 and Hep-G2 cells. TiO(2) nanoparticles lessened SOD, CAT, and GSH levels while augmenting MDA contents in Hep3 and Hep-G2 cells. In both Hep3 and Hep-G2 cells treated with TiO(2) NPs, the Bax, CytC, p53, caspase-3, -8, and -9 expressions were remarkably augmented, while Bcl-2 expression was reduced. Overall, these findings revealed that formulated TiO(2) NPs treatment considerably inhibited growth and triggered apoptosis in Hep3 and HepG2 cells.