Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Fe3O4-PEG-Quercetin Nanoparticles in a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Model
- 1Erciyes University, Ziya Eren Pharmaceutical Application and Research Center, Kayseri, Türkiye
- 2Erciyes University Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Kayseri, Türkiye
Abstract
Objectives: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the vast majority of cases. Conventional chemotherapeutic approaches are frequently limited by systemic toxicity, poor bioavailability, and non-selective biodistribution. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. The present study aimed to synthesize a novel PEGylated magnetite nanoparticle system containing quercetin (Fe3O4-PEG-QUER) and evaluate its effects on the impedance-based cellular responses of the A549 NSCLC cell line compared with non-tumorigenic bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B).
Materials and Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized via the coprecipitation method. Quercetin was introduced during the preparation of the Fe3O4-PEG formulation, resulting in the Fe3O4-PEG-QUER formulation. All formulations Fe3O4, Fe3O4-QUER, Fe3O4-PEG, and Fe3O4-PEG-QUER were characterized using X-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta-sizer, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Impedance-based cellular responses were assessed in BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines using the xCELLigence real-time cell analysis system.
Results: Fe3O4-PEG-QUER showed apparent antiproliferative effects against A549 cells, with IC50 values of 289 µg/mL at 24 h and 160 µg/mL at 48 h. For BEAS-2B cells, the apparent IC50 values were above the highest tested concentration (> 400 µg/mL) at the evaluated time points. Fe3O4-PEG alone showed marked effects on the impedance-based cellular response of A549 cells, with apparent IC50 values of 27 and 19 µg/mL at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Because quercetin loading was not quantitatively determined, the nanoparticle concentrations represent total formulation mass and cannot be directly converted to quercetin-equivalent doses.
Conclusion: Fe3O4-PEG-QUER nanoparticles altered the impedance-based cellular response in the A549 NSCLC cell line, with smaller changes observed in BEAS-2B cells at lower concentrations. These findings provide preliminary in vitro evidence supporting further investigation of Fe3O4-PEG-QUER in lung cancer models.
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BibTeX
@article{sis2026synthesis,
title = {{Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Fe3O4-PEG-Quercetin Nanoparticles in a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Model}},
author = {Yeşim SİS and Mükerrem Betül YERER},
journal = {Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.4274/tjps.galenos.2026.78567},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.galenos.2026.78567},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Fe3O4-PEG-Quercetin Nanoparticles in a Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Model
AU - Yeşim SİS
AU - Mükerrem Betül YERER
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
JO - Turkish Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
DO - 10.4274/tjps.galenos.2026.78567
UR - https://doi.org/10.4274/tjps.galenos.2026.78567
AB - Objectives: Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the vast majority of cases. Conventional chemotherapeutic approaches are frequently limited by systemic toxicity, poor bioavailability, and non-selective biodistribution. Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. The present study aimed to synthesize a novel PEGylated magnetite nanoparticle system containing quercetin (Fe3O4-PEG-QUER) and evaluate its effects on the impedance-based cellular responses of the A549 NSCLC cell line compared with non-tumorigenic bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Materials and Methods: Nanoparticles were synthesized via the coprecipitation method. Quercetin was introduced during the preparation of the Fe3O4-PEG formulation, resulting in the Fe3O4-PEG-QUER formulation. All formulations Fe3O4, Fe3O4-QUER, Fe3O4-PEG, and Fe3O4-PEG-QUER were characterized using X-ray diffraction, fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Zeta-sizer, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Impedance-based cellular responses were assessed in BEAS-2B and A549 cell lines using the xCELLigence real-time cell analysis system. Results: Fe3O4-PEG-QUER showed apparent antiproliferative effects against A549 cells, with IC50 values of 289 µg/mL at 24 h and 160 µg/mL at 48 h. For BEAS-2B cells, the apparent IC50 values were above the highest tested concentration (> 400 µg/mL) at the evaluated time points. Fe3O4-PEG alone showed marked effects on the impedance-based cellular response of A549 cells, with apparent IC50 values of 27 and 19 µg/mL at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Because quercetin loading was not quantitatively determined, the nanoparticle concentrations represent total formulation mass and cannot be directly converted to quercetin-equivalent doses. Conclusion: Fe3O4-PEG-QUER nanoparticles altered the impedance-based cellular response in the A549 NSCLC cell line, with smaller changes observed in BEAS-2B cells at lower concentrations. These findings provide preliminary in vitro evidence supporting further investigation of Fe3O4-PEG-QUER in lung cancer models.
SN - 1304-530X
SN - 2148-6247
ER -