α-Amino Acid Rich Photophytonic Nanoparticles of Algal Origin Serendipitously Reveal Antimigratory Property against Cancer

Spheroidal nanoparticles of algal ("phytonic") origin were synthesized and composed of carbonaceous architectures and surface-rich oxygenated functional groups. Nanoparticles were negatively charged and efficiently luminescent after ultraviolet-range excitation and called as "photophytonic" nanoparticles. A multitude of analytical techniques confirmed the rich profusion of hydroxyl, carboxylate, and amines at the nanoscale, while spectroscopic investigation indicated the presence of α-amines, a signature functionality present in amino acids. Confirmed via a series of biological assays, i.e., growth regression, antimigration, and protein-regression studies, photophytonic nanoparticles serendipitously revealed remarkable anticancer activity against various stages of breast cancer cells, barring the need for an encapsulated drug. We report that nanoparticles derived from algal biomass exhibit intrinsic antimigratory properties against cancer, likely due to the rich abundance of α-amino acids.