Nano-Curcumin and Copper Nanoparticles as Enhanced Therapeutics for Lung Cancer: A Molecular Docking and Bioinformatics Study

Authors

• Sabah Saad Abdulsahib, Biomechanical Department, College of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology–Iraq, Baghdad, IraqFollow
• Zahraa Abdulmunim Sharba, Department of Biotechnology, College of Applied Sciences, University of Technology–Iraq, Baghdad, IraqFollow
• Shaymaa Omar Mohammed, Biomechanical Department, College of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology–Iraq, Baghdad, IraqFollow
• Buthenia A. Hasoon, Department of Biotechnology, College of Applied Sciences, University of Technology–Iraq, Baghdad, IraqFollow

Abstract

The increased surface area-to-volume ratio and improved biological properties of nanoparticles have made them highly attractive for biomedical applications. In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of Cu, Curcumin, and the Curcumin–Cu complex were evaluated against A549 lung cancer cells using the MTT assay. Molecular docking demonstrated that the Curcumin–Cu complex exhibited the strongest binding affinity toward the HRAS protein (PDB ID: 6MQT), forming multiple hydrogen and ionic interactions with key active-site residues, suggesting a potential interaction with this therapeutic target. Bioinformatics analysis further identified HRAS as a highly expressed cancer-related gene in A549 cells and a key regulator of the MAPK signaling pathway. Experimentally, the Curcumin–Cu complex showed enhanced cytotoxic activity, while TaqMan real-time PCR targeting EGFR demonstrated molecular changes associated with lung cancer cells following treatment. Although the present study did not directly evaluate modulation of HRAS or the MAPK pathway, the computational and experimental findings collectively support the potential anticancer activity of the Curcumin–Cu complex and warrant further mechanistic investigations to confirm its mode of action.

Keywords

A549 cells, Anticancer activity, Apoptosis, Bioinformatics, Drug delivery, Cu–Curcumin complex nanoparticles, Molecular docking, Real-Time PCR

Subject Area

Biology

Article Type

Article

First Page

3520

Last Page

3536

Creative Commons License

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

How to Cite this Article

Abdulsahib, Sabah Saad; Sharba, Zahraa Abdulmunim; Mohammed, Shaymaa Omar; and Hasoon, Buthenia A. (2026) "Nano-Curcumin and Copper Nanoparticles as Enhanced Therapeutics for Lung Cancer: A Molecular Docking and Bioinformatics Study," Baghdad Science Journal: Vol. 23: Iss. 10, Article 8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21123/2411-7986.5429