Facile synthesis and antineoplastic activity of bovine serum albumin-conjugated Ag/Ca phosphate nanocomposites

A facile method was designed to fabricate bovine serum albumin (BSA)-conjugated Ag/Ca phosphate nanocomposites (Ag/CaPNCs). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscope indicated that Ag/CaPNCs with about 1000 nm in diameter were composed of smaller nanoparticles and had dispersity. Fourier transform infrared spectrograph, thermogravimetry- differential scanning calorimetry and atomic absorption spectroscopy clearly displayed that the content of BSA, Ag and Ca reached 26.7, 21.2 and 46.0%, respectively. The metabolic viability assay indicated that Ag/CaPNCs could inhibit the metabolism of PC 12 cells in a dose-dependent manner, with 64.8 ppm of the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). Consequently, the present study suggested that Ag/CaPNCs had potential as cytostatic agents.