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Volume 27
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Tuning Anticancer Activity and Antimicrobial Response of ZnO Nanoparticles Through Halogenosilane Surface Modification

by
Mariana Bușilă
1,
Aurel Tăbăcaru
2,*,
Andreea Veronica Botezatu
2,
Alina-Mihaela Ceoromila
3,
Ana-Maria Moroșanu
4,
Jeremias Muazeia
5,6,7,
Jorge Humberto Gomes Leitão
5,6,7,
António Pedro Matos
8 and
Fernanda Marques
9,10,*
1
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, 111 Domnească Street, 800201 Galați, Romania
2
Department of Chemistry, Physics and Environment, Faculty of Sciences and Environment, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, 111 Domnească Street, 800201 Galați, Romania
3
Research and Development Center for Thermoset Matrix Composites, Cross-Border Faculty, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, 111 Domneasca Street, 800201 Galați, Romania
4
Institute of Biology Bucharest, Romanian Academy, 296 Splaiul Independenței Street, 060031 Bucharest, Romania
5
iBB—Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
6
Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
7
Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
8
Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz, Campus Universitário Quinta da Granja, Monte Caparica, 2829-511 Caparica, Portugal
9
Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, Bobadela, 2695-066 Loures, Portugal
10
Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, Km 139.7, Bobadela, 2695-066 Loures, Portugal
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(12), 5388; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125388 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 8 May 2026 / Revised: 30 May 2026 / Accepted: 11 June 2026 / Published: 15 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Properties and Applications of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials: 4th Edition)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Surface modification of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with organosilane capping agents represents an effective strategy to control their physicochemical and biological properties. In this work, we report for the first time the use of halogenosilanes, namely (3-chloropropyl)trimethoxysilane (CPTMS), (3-bromopropyl)trimethoxysilane (BPTMS) and (3-iodopropyl)trimethoxysilane (IPTMS), for the surface functionalization of ZnO NPs obtained by chemical precipitation. Structural and morphological characterization (PXRD, TEM, SEM-EDX and FTIR) confirmed successful surface modification and revealed a significant particle size reduction from ~31 nm for unmodified ZnO to ~8 nm for BPTMS-modified ZnO (ZnO_b). The biological evaluation showed that halogenosilane-modified ZnO NPs exhibit enhanced cytotoxic activity against prostate cancer cell lines (PC3 and 22Rv1), with ZnO_b displaying the highest activity, likely associated with improved cellular uptake and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In contrast, antimicrobial assays revealed only moderate bactericidal effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at relatively high concentrations (≥1250 µg mL−1), while no significant activity was observed against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia contaminans or Candida spp, within the tested range. These findings suggest that halogenosilane functionalization modulates the biological profile of ZnO nanoparticles by enhancing anticancer effects while also influencing microbiocidal activity, highlighting the role of surface chemistry in tuning biological selectivity. The present study supports the concept that rational surface engineering of ZnO-based nanoplatforms can be exploited to favor tumor-targeted activity over broad-spectrum antimicrobial effects, providing new perspectives for the design of application-oriented nanomaterials.
Keywords: zinc oxide nanoparticles; surface modification; halogenosilanes; antitumor activity; antimicrobial response zinc oxide nanoparticles; surface modification; halogenosilanes; antitumor activity; antimicrobial response

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MDPI and ACS Style

Bușilă, M.; Tăbăcaru, A.; Botezatu, A.V.; Ceoromila, A.-M.; Moroșanu, A.-M.; Muazeia, J.; Leitão, J.H.G.; Matos, A.P.; Marques, F. Tuning Anticancer Activity and Antimicrobial Response of ZnO Nanoparticles Through Halogenosilane Surface Modification. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 5388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125388

AMA Style

Bușilă M, Tăbăcaru A, Botezatu AV, Ceoromila A-M, Moroșanu A-M, Muazeia J, Leitão JHG, Matos AP, Marques F. Tuning Anticancer Activity and Antimicrobial Response of ZnO Nanoparticles Through Halogenosilane Surface Modification. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026; 27(12):5388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125388

Chicago/Turabian Style

Bușilă, Mariana, Aurel Tăbăcaru, Andreea Veronica Botezatu, Alina-Mihaela Ceoromila, Ana-Maria Moroșanu, Jeremias Muazeia, Jorge Humberto Gomes Leitão, António Pedro Matos, and Fernanda Marques. 2026. "Tuning Anticancer Activity and Antimicrobial Response of ZnO Nanoparticles Through Halogenosilane Surface Modification" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 27, no. 12: 5388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125388

APA Style

Bușilă, M., Tăbăcaru, A., Botezatu, A. V., Ceoromila, A.-M., Moroșanu, A.-M., Muazeia, J., Leitão, J. H. G., Matos, A. P., & Marques, F. (2026). Tuning Anticancer Activity and Antimicrobial Response of ZnO Nanoparticles Through Halogenosilane Surface Modification. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 27(12), 5388. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125388

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