Abstract
Bimetallic nanostructures exhibit unique catalytic and optical properties compared with monometallic nanostructures. However, the biological properties of bimetallic nanostructures have not been explored completely. In the present investigation, we developed an environmentally benign, cost-effective and facile one-pot synthetic route for bimetallic Ag-Pt nanostructure fabrication and functionalization. This synthetic route is an alternative to conventional chemical and physical methods. Polyphenon-60 was employed as reducing and functionalizing agents for the reduction of metal ions to Ag-Pt nanostructures at ambient temperature. Powder XRD results confirmed the crystalline phase of the Ag-Pt to be face-centered cubic. Transmission electron microscopy investigations of the Ag-Pt morphology suggested the formation of spherical and well dispersed Ag-Pt nanostructures 50-75 nm in size. The results of EDX analysis indicated that the prepared nanostructures were highly pure. An MTT colorimetric assay for measuring cytotoxic effects revealed that the Ag-Pt structures induced dose-dependent cell death in SiHa cells via apoptosis. The Ag-Pt nanostructures caused apoptotic cell death and intranucleosomal DNA fragmentation in SiHa cells. In the cell cycle, the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 and G2/M phases significantly increased in the treated SiHa cells, which suggests that the Ag-Pt structures induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. The polyphenon-60 functionalized Ag-Pt nanostructures can be applicable for cancer treatment.