Chitosan nanoparticles of Moringa seeds alleviate cell proliferation and metastasis gene expression in breast cancer cell line (MCF-7)

Basis research was done for long-term exploration of herbal medicines or therapeutical combination ingredients in the standard drug model doxorubicin to minimize long-term side effects on patients, especially in breast cancer cases. This study focuses on exploring the effect of Moringa seeds encapsulated with nanoparticle-based chitosan or their influence on cancer progression. Moringa seeds were extracted first and formulated into chitosan nanoparticles. Screening the IC₅₀ dose was done using MTT assay for both single and combined treatments. Confirmation of the effect on proliferation rate was then measured molecularly through immunofluorescence staining and quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction on the marker gene Ki-67. The expression of Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β/Snail pathways associated with the metastasis process was measured as well. Nano chitosan of ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera seeds (NEEM) and nano chitosan of n-hexane extract of M. oleifera seeds (NHEM) have 382 µg/ml and 1843 µg/ml of IC₅₀ dose, respectively. Both look the same, having an optimum time of 2 days for the IC₅₀ dose screening by MTT assay. The expression of Ki-67 in RNA and protein levels showed that the gradual decrease after NEEM and NHEM treatment along with the increase in dose exposure (P < 0.05), also decreased the expression of proliferation gene was measured. NEEM and NHEM chitosan nanoparticles have been successfully characterized, have positively charged zeta potential values, and have been revealed as anticancer agents, especially in breast cancer through alleviating proliferation rate and metastasis-related gene expression.