Application of staphyloxanthin-silver nanoparticles combination as a sustainable therapeutic platform with anticancer potential

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al- Qadisiyah, Iraq.

2 Zoonotic Disease Research Unit, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al- Qadisiyah, Iraq.

Abstract

Objective
Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes a wide range of infections, from minor skin diseases to severe systemic diseases. A golden carotenoid pigment called staphyloxanthin determines the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus. It acts as an antioxidant and protects the bacteria from oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular and biochemical properties of staphyloxanthin, as well as its role and potential in combination with biogenic silver nanoparticles for sustained therapy and to evaluate its anticancer activity.
Materials and methods
Staphyloxanthin production by clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus was investigated based on the amount of pigment produced. PCR was used to genetically confirm the biosynthetic genes crtO, crtP, crtQ, crtM and crtN. Pigment purification was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Then, DPPH radical scavenging assay was used to investigate its antioxidant capacity. S. aureus extracts were used to synthesize biogenic silver nanoparticles. Surface plasmon resonance peak was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy at 425 nm. Then, the cytotoxic and synergistic effects of staphyloxanthin and silver nanoparticles, both individually and in combination, were evaluated against HeLa (cervical) and MCF-7 (breast) cancer cell lines. CHO cells were used as non-cancerous control.


Results
Intense golden pigments were observed in seventy-five percent of the isolates. All staphyloxanthin biosynthesis genes were confirmed by PCR. A single, well-defined peak (retention time: 8.12-8.23 min; area: 639,700.9-28035.9 mA h) was detected by HPLC. The strong antioxidant activity of this pigment resulted in 86% of DPPH radicals being scavenged at a concentration of 320 μg/mL. This activity is at the level and magnitude of the activity of ascorbic acid. The concentration of spherical biogenic silver nanoparticles was 55.6 ± 2.1 μg/mL. Superior dose-dependent cytotoxicity against cancer cells was achieved by the staphyloxanthin-AgNP combination treatment, providing complete inhibition at a concentration of 320 μg/mL while maintaining low toxicity to CHO cells. Combination index values (CI < 1) confirmed strong synergy, increasing the potency of the individual treatments by 2.1- to 3.5-fold.
Conclusions
According to the results obtained, it can be said that the staphyloxanthin-silver nanoparticle (STX-AgNP) complex can act as a promising and multifunctional therapeutic platform with potent and selective anticancer activity. Given its strong synergistic effects and biogenic origin, it can be envisaged to have potential applications in the sustainable treatment of cancer and the management of antimicrobial resistance. However, further studies on a larger scale are needed to draw definitive conclusions.

Keywords

References

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Agricultural Biotechnology Journal
Volume 17, Issue 4
November 2025
Pages 415-438

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