Investigating the anticancer potential and apoptotic signaling of nanocapsule-loaded pyrogallol in ovarian cancer cells (A2780)

Nanoencapsulation technology enables the efficient delivery of natural bioactive compounds, enhancing stability and controlled release to improve bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Pyrogallol, a natural polyphenolic compound, has shown promising anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to synthesize and characterize nanocapsule-encapsulated pyrogallol (Na-Pyr) and investigate its anticancer potential, apoptotic signaling, and anti-metastatic properties. The process involved synthesizing the nanocapsules using the sol–gel method and evaluating their physical and chemical properties using various techniques. The MTT assay was used to test Na-Pyr’s cytotoxicity against various cancer cell lines, including ovarian cancer (A2780), human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29), and pancreatic cancer (ASPC-1), with Huvec serving as the normal cell line. DAPI staining, real-time PCR, and flow cytometry were performed to examine apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest. The results obtained from dynamic light scattering (DLS) manifested that Na-Pyr had a size of 176.4 ± 7.26 nm, an average zeta potential of about 42.1 ± 2.01 mV, and a polydispersity (PDI) index of 0.174 ± 0.02. Electron microscopy images exhibited a smooth surface and spherical shape, indicating material compatibility. Na-Pyr exhibited higher anticancer potential against ovarian cancer cells than HT-29 and ASPC-1 cancer cell lines with an IC 50 value of 23.5 ± 0.95 μg/mL. Na-Pyr significantly modulates the Bax/Bcl2 ratio and activates the MMP9 pathway-mediated apoptosis. Flow cytometry analysis supported these findings, revealing increased percentages of necrotic, early apoptotic, and late apoptotic populations upon exposure to Na-Pyr. In conclusion, the study highlights the promising anticancer potential of Na-Pyr and its potential as an effective treatment strategy.