Biogenic synthesis of biopolymer-based Ag-Au bimetallic nanoparticle constructs and their anti-proliferative assessment.

This study reports an eco-friendly-based method for the preparation of biopolymer Ag-Au nanoparticles (NPs) by using gum kondagogu (GK; Cochlospermum gossypium), as both reducing and protecting agent. The formation of GK-(Ag-Au) NPs was confirmed by UV-absorption, fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The GK-(Ag-Au) NPs were of 1-12 nm in size. The anti-proliferative activity of nanoparticle constructs was assessed by MTT assay, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Expression studies revealed up-regulation of p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) PPARa and PPARb, genes and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(K) genes, in B16F10 cells treated with GK-(Ag-Au) NPs confirming the anti-proliferative properties of the nanoparticles.