An In Vitro Study: Assessment of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Nanoparticles Synthesized from Cladonia subulata Lichen on Colon Cell Lines

Abstract

Lichens are among the living organisms used for the biological synthesis of nanoparticles. Lichens are typically organisms where algae and fungi exist symbiotically. These organisms possess a wide array of biological components and are particularly rich in secondary metabolites. These characteristics give them an advantage in NPs synthesis. The use of microorganisms and plant sources in biological synthesis provides a less toxic and more environmentally friendly alternative compared to chemical methods. This study examined the effects of copper-based NPs obtained through biological synthesis from Cladonia subulata (L.) lichen on colon cancer cells from a molecular biology perspective. DLD-1 (colon cancer) and CCD18-Co (healthy colon) cell line were treated with concentrations of NPs ranging from 3.91 to 500 µg/ml for 24 hours, based on the evaluation of MTT test results, and changes in the expression levels of the CYP1A1 and BCL-2 genes involved in the cancer pathway were detected. In DLD-1 cells, a significant increase in the expression levels of the BCL-2 and CYP1A1 genes was observed following the application of Cu-NPs. This increase is believed to support the anti-cancer properties of Cu-NPs by affecting uncontrolled cell proliferation. Similarly, Cu-NPs increased the expression levels of the BCL-2 and CYP1A1 genes in CCD18-Co cells. The highest expression levels were observed at 125 µg/ml in both cell lines. These results suggest that Cu-NPs may also exhibit anti-cancer effects in healthy cells. The results support the evaluation of NPs obtained through biological synthesis as a potential strategy in cancer treatment.