A Smart Nanovector for Cancer Targeted Drug Delivery Based on Graphene Quantum Dots

Abstract

Graphene quantum dots (GQD), the new generation members of graphene-family, have shown promising applications in anticancer therapy. In this study, we report the synthesis of a fluorescent and biocompatible nanovector, based on GQD, for the targeted delivery of an anticancer drug with benzofuran structure (BFG) and bearing the targeting ligand riboflavin (RF, vitamin B2). The highly water-dispersible nanoparticles, synthesized from multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) by prolonged acidic treatment, were linked covalently to the drug by means of a cleavable PEG linker while the targeting ligand RF was conjugated to the GQD by π–π interaction using a pyrene linker. The cytotoxic effect of the synthesized drug delivery system (DDS) GQD-PEG-BFG@Pyr-RF was tested on three cancer cell lines and this effect was compared with that exerted by the same nanovector lacking the RF ligand (GQD-PEG-BFG) or the anticancer drug (GQD@Pyr-RF). The results of biological tests underlined the low cytotoxicity of the GQD sample and the cytotoxic activity of the DDS against the investigated cancer cell lines with a higher or similar potency to that exerted by the BFG alone, thus opening new possibilities for the use of this drug or other anticancer agents endowed of cytotoxicity and serious side effects.

A Novel Route to High-Quality Graphene Quantum Dots by Hydrogen-Assisted Pyrolysis of Silicon Carbide

“…Graphene quantum dots (GQDs), composed of few graphene layers with a size less than 30 nm, have attracted research interest due to their unique properties, such as possessing a large surface area, low toxicity and strong and tunable photoluminescence [1][2][3][4]. With these advantageous characteristics, GQDs can be used for bioimaging [5,6], biosensing [7], photovoltaics [8,9], drug delivery [10,11] and optoelectronic devices [12,13]. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been developed to synthesize GQDs.…”

Magnetic and Quantum Dot Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Diagnostic Systems

“…Currently, a number of different types of nanoparticles along with various macromolecules are used for drug delivery. Nanoparticles in different structures are produced depending on their configuration and utility such as nanotubes [99], nanowires [100], nanoshells [101], quantum dots [102], nanopores, nanobots [103], nanoerythrocytes [104], etc. Drugs or biomolecules are attached to the nanoparticles by adsorption, covalent attachment, or entrapment [18].…”

PdI2-Based Catalysis for Carbonylation Reactions: A Personal Account

“…Catalysts 2019, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 21 of 32 benzofuran derivatives thus obtained were of particular interest, as they showed important antitumor activity against breast cancer cell lines [106]. Moreover, very recently, we have shown that it is possible to improve the delivery of this bioactive scaffold in vitro by chemically anchoring it (through the formation of amide bond) to suitably functionalized graphene quantum dots [107].…”