Graphene Quantum Dot‐PEI‐Cyclodextrin Nanocarrier for Simultaneous miR21a Delivery and Cell Imaging in Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Over‐expression of miR21 plays an important role in several cancers by promoting cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Here, we attempted to prepare a beta cyclodextrin‐polyethyleneimine‐graphene quantum dot (βCD‐PEI‐GQD) nanocarrier for cellular delivery of miR21a. For this purpose, tosylated‐βCD and GQD were conjugated to branched PEI. The product was characterized by FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The morphology, particle size distribution, and ζ‐potential of miR21a were examined by TEM and DLS following overnight incubation with βCD‐PEI‐GQD in aqueous media. The miR21 silencing was measured by stem‐loop RT‐PCR in HepG2 human hepatoma cell line. Cellular uptake and cell toxicity assays were determined by fluorescence microscopy and Trypan blue staining method, respectively. The formation of miR21a/CD‐PEI‐GQD Nanoplex with a decreased average size of 114 nm and a ζ‐potential (+36.1 mV) lower than CD‐PEI‐GQD nanocarrier by adding miR21a was confirmed at optimum C/P ratio =8.7. RT‐PCR revealed that miR21a/βCD‐PEI‐GQD Nanoplex significantly downregulated miR21 expression levels effectively. Overall, miR21a delivery using CD‐PEI‐GQD is presented as a novel trackable nanocarrier for cancer therapy.

Recent advances in biomedical applications of carbon and graphene quantum dots: A review

“…Heidari et al prepared a nanocarrier by conjugating β‐cyclodextran, GQDs, and b‐PEI and attached the micro RNA miR21a to the nanocarrier. It was reported that the nanoplex regulated the expression of miR21 significantly in human hepatoma Hep G2 cell line and ultimately checked the proliferation of tumors (Heidari et al, 2023). Munny et al reported the doping of boron, nitrogen atoms, and hexagonal‐shaped boron nitride to graphene resulting in the formation of hetero‐QDs.…”

“…The nanocomposite was reported to cross the BBB in vitro and cure neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease(Kaliyaperumal et al, 2023).Heidari et al prepared a nanocarrier by conjugating β-cyclodextran, GQDs, and b-PEI and attached the micro RNA miR21a to the nanocarrier. It was reported that the nanoplex regulated the expression of miR21 significantly in human hepatoma Hep G2 cell line and ultimately checked the proliferation of tumors(Heidari et al, 2023).Munny et al reported the doping of boron, nitrogen atoms, and hexagonal-shaped boron nitride to graphene resulting in the formation of hetero-QDs. From the investigation, it was reported that all the hetero-QDs adsorbed the anticancer drug, cisplatin, with boron-doped QDs showing the most favorable interaction indicating its use as carrier for the said drug(Munny et al, 2023).…”

Graphene‐Based Nano Materials: Biomedical Applications

“…Tumor marker cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1), wide linear range of 0.25~800 ng mL À 1 and low detection limit of 100 pg mL À 1 (S/N = 3) [57] tolerance, minimal cytotoxicity as measured using hela cells, and more than 90 % of the hela cells that were exposed to 200 g/ml NBr-GQDs for 24 hours survived. Heidari et al [73] prepared a beta cyclodextrin-polyehtyleneimine-graphene quantum dot (βCD-PEI-GQD) (Figure 3) nanocomplex for both cell imaging and delivery. On the HepG2 human hepatoma cell line, miR21a/CD-PEI-GQD with a size of 114 nm and a -potential (+ 36.1 mV) showed a considerable reduction of miR21, which is crucial in the upregulation of cancer cells.…”