Abstract
Cerium oxide nanocrystals (CeO
2
-NCs) exhibit superoxide dismutase and catalase mimetic activities. Based on these catalytic activities, CeO
2
-NCs have been suggested to have the potential to treat various diseases. The crystalline size of these materials is an important factor that influences the performance of CeO
2
-NCs. Previous reports have shown that several metal-based nanocrystals, including CeO
2
-NCs, can induce cytotoxicity in cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanisms have remained unclear. To characterize the anticancer activities of CeO
2
-NCs, several assays related to the mechanism of cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis has been performed. Here, we have carried out a systematic study to characterize CeO
2
-NCs phase purity (X-ray diffraction), morphology (electron microscopy), and optical features (optical absorption, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence) to better establish their potential as anticancer drugs. Our study revealed anticancer effects of CeO
2
-NCs in HT29 and SW620 colorectal cancer cell lines with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) values of 2.26 and 121.18 μg ml
-1
, respectively. Reductions in cell viability indicated the cytotoxic potential of CeO
2
-NCs in HT29 cells based on inverted and florescence microscopy assessments. The mechanism of cytotoxicity confirmed by estimating possible changes in the expression levels of Bcl2, BclxL, Bax, PARP, cytochrome c, and β-actin (control) proteins in HT29 cells. Down-regulation of Bcl2 and BclxL and up-regulation of Bax, PARP, and cytochrome c proteins suggested the significant involvement of CeO
2
-NCs exposure in the induction of apoptosis. Furthermore, biocompatibility assay showed minimum effect of CeO
2
-NCs on human red blood cells.