Fabrication, Characterization, Anticancer and Antibacterial Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles Doped with Y and Ce Elements

This work aims to explore the structure, microstructure, anticancer, and antibacterial activities of ZnO NPs co-doped with Y and Ce elements for their strong biocompatibility, economic, and less toxic effect as a GRAS material. XRD analysis showed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the fabricated samples. The observations via TEM technique showed the irregular distribution of particles with a size of 30-50 nm. The samples were examined for their anticancer activity by DAPI staining and MTT assays. The cell viability assessment approved a substantial diminution in the HCT-116 cell viability after the co-doping. The inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of Y-Ce co-doped ZnO NPs were 5.0 mu g/ml to 25 mu g/ml for HCT-116 cells. The influence of dopants on HEK-293 (non-cancerous cells) is also studied. A diminution in the cell viability was found, but the cell viability percentage was higher than HCT-116 cells. When cancer cells treated with Y-Ce co-doped ZnO showed apoptosis or programmed cell death as the nuclei of the cells showed chromatin condensation and fragmentations. The treatment of Y-Ce co-doped ZnO NPs on Gram-positive S. aureus and Gram-negative E. coli revealed inhibitory action on the bacterial population as revealed by Minimal Bactericidal Concentration and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration and assays.

Automated summary

This study explores the structure, microstructure, anticancer, and antibacterial activities of ZnO NPs co-doped with Y and Ce elements, highlighting their strong biocompatibility, economic advantages, and less toxic effects. The results showed that the co-doping significantly reduced the viability of cancer cells, while having a lesser impact on non-cancerous cells. Furthermore, the co-doping demonstrated inhibitory effects on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.