Apoptosis of hela cells via caspase-3 expression induced by chitosan-based nanoparticles of Annona squamosa leaf extract: In vitro study

Background: Annona squamosa is reported has a significant cytotoxic activity in some cancer cells. Objectives: Thus, this study aim to investigate Annona squamosa leaf extract induced by chitosan nanoparticles (nano-ASLE) to enhance their biological activity as anticancer agent on HeLa cells. Methods: Nano-ASLE (50, 100, 200, 400 µg/mL in DMSO) given on HeLa cells to determined IC₅₀ value by MTT assay. Then, it was devided into three groups as follow IC₅₀, 2IC₅₀, 4IC₅₀ continued with analysis of caspase-3 expression. Results: The present study demonstrated that nano-ASLE can surpress HeLa cells proliferation with the IC₅₀ value of 344.48 µg/mL and rapid enhancement of caspase-3 activity has the mean score of 65.3 cell expression and the lowest score shows 45.3 cell expression. Conclusion: Nano-ASLE lead to HeLa cell death via the mitochondrial pathway on caspase-3 expression. In addition, the further studies are needed to obtain the loading efficiency, release of drug concentration and in vivo study of nano-ASLE to suppress HeLa cells.