The Apoptotic Effect of Plant Based Nanosilver in Colon Cancer Cells is a p53 Dependent Process Involving ROS and JNK Cascade.

Here, we report the p53 dependent mitochondria-mediated apoptotic mechanism of plant derived silver-nanoparticle (PD-AgNPs) in colorectal cancer cells (CRCs). PD-AgNPs was synthesized by reduction of AgNO3 with leaf extract of a medicinal plant periwinkle and characterized. Uptake of PD-AgNPs (ξ - 2.52 ± 4.31 mV) in HCT116 cells was 3 fold higher in comparison to synthetic AgNPs (ξ +2.293 ± 5.1 mV). A dose dependent increase in ROS production, activated JNK and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were noted in HCT116 but not in HCT116 p53(-/-) cells after PD-AgNP exposure. PD-AgNP-mediated apoptosis in CRCs is a p53 dependent process involving ROS and JNK cascade.