Thesis (M.Sc.)- Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Biotechnology

The aim of the study is to load 5-fluorouracil on zinc oxide nanoparticles that modified with cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) to synthesize the nanocomposite for enhancing the anticancer activity of 5-FU. The in vitro anticancer activity of this nanocomposite was evaluated without and with radiation on three different cancer cell lines (HepG2, HUH- 7 and MCF-7) and one normal cell line (WI-38) by MTT assay after 24 and 48 hr in comparison to 5-FU and nanocomposite without radiation respectively. The expression of apoptotic genes (P 53 and Bax) and antiapoptotic gene (Bcl-2) was investigated by using liver cancer cell line (HepG2) and also the level of lipid peroxidation and antioxident molecules and enzymes was measured by using different treatments whether combined or not with radiation. The results showed that the nanocomposite exerted better anticancer activity against different cancer cells while posing minimal effect on normal cell line after 24 and 48hr in comparison with pure 5-FU. Then nanocomposite with radiation exerted better anticancer activity than pure nanocomposite after 48 hr on HepG2. Nanocomposite not only potentiated the toxic effects of radiation and led to a higher rate of cell death but also, enhanced the increase in apoptotic genes expression and decrease in antiapoptotic genes expression

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