Green synthesis of anisotropic silver nanoparticles and its potential cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

We described a green, cost effective and rapid method for synthesizing anisotropic AgNPs using a novel bacterium called Escherichia fergusoni. Furthermore, synthesized AgNPs were characterized by various analytical techniques. The present study demonstrates the efficiency of biologically synthesized AgNPs as a cytotoxic agent against MCF-7 cells and also this study investigates possible molecular mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effects of AgNPs. AgNPs showed dose dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells through activation of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and eventually leading to induction of apoptosis which was further confirmed through resulting nuclear fragmentation.