OICC Press International Journal of Nano Dimension 2228-5059 17 2 2026 04 10 The Effect of Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Ganoderma Lucidum Polysaccharide Content on the Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 Genes and Induction of Apoptosis in the PC3 Cell Line 10.57647/ijnd-2026-1702-06 EN Mohaddeseh Larypoor Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2003-8343 Mahnaz Joodi Ghareh Shiran Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Hoora Dadgostar Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Maryam Bikhof Torbati Department of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, YI.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8784-8589 Shahrzad Sadeghi Amjad Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2026 04 10 Research into anti-cancer compounds from natural sources, such as Ganoderma lucidum and chitosan, and the development of their delivery systems, is a highly promising field. This study focused on developing nanocarriers of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides-chitosan and evaluating their effects on the expression of the Bax and Bcl-2 genes in the PC3 cell line. The extraction of polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum involved heating the material in water at 70 °C, followed by treatment with 96% ethanol and subsequent protein removal to purify the polysaccharides.  These polysaccharides were successfully incorporated into chitosan nanoparticles via ion-exchange copolymerization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were utilized to examine the morphology and chemical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles. The effects of the chitosan-polysaccharide nanoparticles and free polysaccharides on gene expression were assessed using real-time PCR after treating PC3 cells with various concentrations. The results showed that the nanoparticles and polysaccharides increased Bax gene expression by 4.6-fold and 5.56-fold, respectively, while decreasing Bcl-2 expression by 0.64-fold and 0.81-fold, respectively. These observed changes indicate that apoptosis was induced in PC3 cells. Nanoparticles composed of polysaccharides and chitosan show promise for future prostate cancer therapies; however, additional in vitro and in vivo studies are necessary.