Pectin mediated gold nanoparticles induces apoptosis in mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines

[Display omitted] •Isolation of biologically potent compound “pectin” from Musa paradisiaca.•Synthesis of highly stable gold nanoparticles (p-GNPs) using pectin.•Adherence of p-GNPs to MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells evident from FE-SEM.•Apoptosis induction in p-GNPs treated breast cancer cells MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Pectin and its several modified forms have shown remarkable impact in therapeutic use against various cancers. In the present study, pectin, an anionic polysaccharide isolated from Musa paradisiaca is employed for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles at ambient temperature conditions. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using microscopic and spectroscopic studies and its anti-cancer potential was evaluated in mammary adenocarcinoma cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Apoptosis induction was evident from increase in sub-G1 population studied using flow cytometry analysis. DNA damage followed by cell death in pectin mediated gold nanoparticles (p-GNPs) treated cells was confirmed by Comet assay. Uptake of p-GNPs by cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) was analyzed using FE-SEM which revealed the presence of p-GNPs as aggregates over the surface of cells with loss in cellular integrity compared to control cells.