10.57647/pibm-2025-17326

Biogenically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles using Penicillium chrysogenum filter to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cancer Cells

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  • Mohamed A. Fareid1,
  • Gamal M. El-Sherbiny*2,
  • Mohamed H. Sharaf2,
  • Ahmed A. Radwan2,
  • Asmaa M. Hegazy1,
  • Rosilah Ab Aziz3,
  • Fatma A. Hamada3,
  1. Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Applied Medical Science College, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia
  2. Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Cairo 11884, Egypt
  3. First Year of Health and Medical Colleges, Basic Sciences Department, University of Ha’il, Hail 2440, Saudi Arabia

Received: 2025-09-14

Accepted: 2025-10-28

Published in Issue 2025-12-30

Copyright (c) 2025 Mohamed A. Fareid, Gamal M. El-Sherbiny, Mohamed H. Sharaf, Ahmed A. Radwan, Asmaa M. Hegazy, Rosilah Ab Aziz, Fatma A. Hamada (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Fareid, M. A., El-Sherbiny, G. M., Sharaf, M. H., Radwan, A. A., Hegazy, A. M., Aziz, R. A., & Hamada, F. A. (2025). Biogenically synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles using Penicillium chrysogenum filter to combat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Cancer Cells. Progress in Biomaterials, 14(04). https://doi.org/10.57647/pibm-2025-17326
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Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a major opportunistic pathogen that persistently colonizes approximately 20% of the human population. It is capable of causing diverse infections ranging from mild skin lesions to severe, life-threatening conditions. The emergence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has complicated treatment strategies and intensified the search for alternative antimicrobial agents. This study presents a novel, eco-friendly biosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) using the cell-free filtrate of Penicillium chrysogenum and investigates their antibacterial, anti-virulence, antioxidant, and anticancer activities. The synthesized ZnO-NPs were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Antibacterial efficacy was determined against MRSA isolates through MIC assays, while biofilm inhibition and virulence gene expression analyses were performed to assess anti-virulence activity. Antioxidant capacity was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS assays, and cytotoxicity against HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines was assessed using MTT assays. UV-Vis spectra exhibited a distinct absorption peak at 430 nm. HR-TEM analysis revealed predominantly spherical to slightly irregular ZnO-NPs with an average diameter of 43.17 nm (ranging 50-70.25 nm). The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs demonstrated strong antibacterial activity against MRSA, with MIC values between 125 and 250 µg/mL, and significantly inhibited biofilm formation. Moreover, they downregulated key virulence genes by 2.0 - 4.6-fold. The nanoparticles also exhibited notable antioxidant activity with IC₅₀ values of 205 µg/mL (DPPH) and 315 µg/mL (ABTS), as well as potent anticancer effects with IC₅₀ values of 13.74 ± 0.02 µg/mL (HepG2) and 19.12 ± 0.51 µg/mL (MCF-7). This study demonstrates, for the first time, the biosynthesis of ZnO-NPs using P. chrysogenum filtrate with multi-functional bioactivity, including antibacterial, anti-virulence, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. These findings highlight the potential application of biosynthesized ZnO-NPs as promising biocompatible agents for combating MRSA infections and certain cancer types, paving the way for sustainable nanotherapeutic development

Keywords

  • Staphylococcus aureus,
  • MRSA,
  • Penicillium chrysogenum,
  • Zinc oxide nanoparticles,
  • Biosynthesis,
  • Antibacterial,
  • Antioxidant,
  • Anticancer
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