Silver Nanoparticles Potentiates Cytotoxicity and Apoptotic Potential of Camptothecin in Human Cervical Cancer Cells

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used metal nanoparticles in health care industries, particularly due to its unique physical, chemical, optical, and biological properties. It is used as an antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anticancer agent. Camptothecin (CPT) and its derivatives function as inhibitors of topoisomerase and as potent anticancer agents against a variety of cancers. Nevertheless, the combined actions of CPT and AgNPs in apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) have not been elucidated. Hence, we investigated the synergistic combinatorial effect of CPT and AgNPs in human cervical cancer cells. We synthesized AgNPs using sinigrin as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using various analytical techniques. The anticancer effects of a combined treatment with CPT and AgNPs were evaluated using a series of cellular and biochemical assays. The expression of pro- and antiapoptotic genes was measured using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The findings from this study revealed that the combination of CPT and AgNPs treatment significantly inhibited cell viability and proliferation of HeLa cells. Moreover, the combination effect significantly increases the levels of oxidative stress markers and decreases antioxidative stress markers compared to single treatment. Further, the combined treatment upregulate various proapoptotic gene expression and downregulate antiapoptotic gene expression. Interestingly, the combined treatment modulates various cellular signaling molecules involved in cell survival, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis. Overall, these results suggest that CPT and AgNPs cause cell death by inducing the mitochondrial membrane permeability change and activation of caspase 9, 6, and 3. The synergistic cytotoxicity and apoptosis effect seems to be associated with increased ROS formation and depletion of antioxidant. Certainly, a combination of CPT and AgNPs could provide a beneficial effect in the treatment of cervical cancer compared with monotherapy.