AUTHOR=Tayel Ahmed A. , Elagezy Fatma K. , Abdella Asmaa , Gad Hend A. , El-Hefnawy Mohamed E. , Alhayyani Sultan , El-Far Shaymaa W. 

TITLE=Construction of bioactive nanocomposites from beta-sitosterol, fucoidan, chitosan, and silver nanoparticles for anticancer applications

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1668888

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2025.1668888

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=IntroductionCancers (e.g., colon and skin cancers) are significant causes of mortality. We developed novel anticancer nanocomposites comprising natural bioactive compounds and metal nanoparticles, involving conjugation of beta-sitosterol (BSt) and fucoidan (Fu), for biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), before conjugation with chitosan (CS), to generate potential innovative anticancerous nanocomposites.MethodsThe fabricated Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites were characterized for efficacy against colon cancer (HCT-116) and skin cancer (A375) cells. Electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), FTIR infrared spectroscopy, DLS analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy, confirmed the synthesis and interactions within nanocomposites. The MTT assay and dual staining validated the potential nanocomposites’ actions as anticancerous materials, compared to “cisplatin”.Results and discussionAgNPs had a mean diameter of 8.83 nm, whereas Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS had 146.6 nm size. MTT assay revealed that IC50 of Fu/BSt/AgNPs and Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites were 16.23, 12.75 mg/L against HCT-116 cells, and 34.81, 22.44 mg/L against A375 cells, respectively, which significantly exceeded the cisplatin IC50 (25.56 and 79.77, respectively). The cancer cells’ treatment with nanocomposites revealed significant apoptosis induction and cell growth inhibition. Ultra-structural imaging confirmed the nanocomposites’ ability to trigger cancer cells to undergo morphological alterations, destructions and collapse. Invented Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites have great promises as safe and effective treatments for colon and skin cancers, generated from natural compounds.