Oxidative stress, including reactive oxygen species (ROS), has been known to cause malignant disorders such as colorectal cancer. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Kelch-like ECH-related protein 1 (KEAP1) pathway is well known to protect cells from oxidative stress and inflammation. The current investigation introduces effective nanomedicine (PEGylated gold nanoparticles conjugated with Panitumumab) that induced ROSs mediating apoptosis pathways as effective strategies for colorectal cancer treatment.

The AuNPs synthesized, stabilized by polyethylene glycol (PEG), functionalized, and covalently conjugated with Panitumumab. The physicochemical properties of engineered nanomedicine (AuNPs-PEG-Pan) were characterized by UV-vis spectrum. Then, the effects of nanoformulation Panitumumab on cell viability, ROS production and oxidative stress gene expression (Kaep1-Nerf2) were evaluated in the colorectal cancer cell line.

The engineered nanomedicine was found to effectively induced apoptosis in SW-480 cells and resulted in a significant reduction in cancer cells viability. In addition, the maximum production of ROS was obtained after the treatment of cells with an IC50 dose of GNPs-PEG-Pan. Based on our real-time PCR data, in the treated SW-480 cells with the AuNPs-PEG-Pan, the expression level of Keap1 (p < 0.01) was significantly increased, while the expression of Nerf 2 (p > 0.01), were found to be significantly decreased as compared to the untreated control cells.

We introduced a nanoformulation of Panitumumab with a high apoptosis effect on colorectal cancer cells compared to the free Panitumumab.