Mechanically\nFlexible Self-Healing Mg(II)-Metallogel:\nApproach of Triggering the ROS-Induced Apoptosis in Human Breast Cancer\nCells

A self-assembly-directed thixotropic metallohydrogel\n(i.e., Mg-Tetrakis)\nof Mg(II)-metal salt and <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>′-tetrakis(2-hydroxy-ethyl)ethylenediamine\n(i.e., Tetrakis) was successfully achieved. The organic chemical component <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>,<i>N</i>′,<i>N</i>′-tetrakis(2-hydroxy-ethyl)ethylenediamine was used\nas a low-molecular-weight gelator, and water was employed as the gel-forming\nsolvent. The fabricated supramolecular metallohydrogel promisingly\ndepicted viscoelastic and mechanoelastic behaviors, which are interpreted\nthrough various rheological parameters. The thixotropic behavior of\nthe metallohydrogel is also well characterized through this rheological\nstudy. Field emission scanning electron microscopy microstructural\nanalyses were performed to visualize the morphological arrangements\nof the metallohydrogel. The anticancer properties of the synthesized\nmetallogels are investigated through this work. The cytotoxic potential\nof the metallohydrogel on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line is critically\nexamined. Reducing the growth of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 through\nthe treatment of gel on the colony formation assay has been explored\nthrough the work. The antimigratory potential of the metallohydrogel\non the MCF-7 cell was also scrutinized. The anticancer effect of the\nfabricated metallohydrogel is inspected through various assay formation\nstrategies, like wound healing assay, tumor spheroid inhibition assay,\nnuclear fragmentation assay, and so on. Quantitative reactive oxygen\nspecies analysis of the cancer cells by treatment with the metallohydrogel\nwas also conducted through this study. The mechanistic apoptosis study\nwas executed by studying the expression of various apoptotic markers\nlike BAX, BCL2, PUMA, and NOXA.