Juggling Surface Charges of 2D Niobium Carbide MXenes for a Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging and Effective Targeting of the Malignant Melanoma Cell Cycle into Programmed Cell Death

Abstract

There are several problems that need to be overcome to enable smooth and sustainable clinical translation of the MXene materials, including hard controllable surface chemistry. In this study, we show for the first time that, by using surface modification with poly-l-lysine (PLL), it is possible to completely invert the highly negative surface charge of the 2D niobium carbide MXenes (viz., Nb2C and Nb4C3) toward a highly positive value. Switching the surface charge of MXenes results in obtaining important biological effects in vitro such as targeting of malignant cells and inducing cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and triggering apoptosis, i.e., programmed cell deaththe most desirable effect for designing anticancer nanodrugs, which should directly target the cells’ physiology instead of generating direct toxicity. In addition, both 2D Nb2C/PLL and Nb4C3/PLL MXenes showed significant adjustment of their biocompatibilities in relation to normal skin cells. The obtained results suggest that Nb-MXenes can be used as scavengers for the reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study formulates an important step toward further development of MXene-based nanotherapies and strategies for cancer cell elimination in relation to standard therapeutic procedures currently being developed for these materials.

Surface-Related Features Responsible for Cytotoxic Behavior of MXenes Layered Materials Predicted with Machine Learning Approach

“…In such a case, mechanisms of cytotoxic action refer to cell cycle, DNA synthesis, and cellular membrane integrity [62]. From this perspective, surface chemistry of MXenes should be managed to avoid further toxic effects using redirecting into more safe surface compositions [59].…”

“…It has been shown that the surface effects highly affect the living cells and it is closely linked to the oxidation process and decomposition to toxic oxides. In such a case, mechanisms of cytotoxic action refer to cell cycle, DNA synthesis, and cellular membrane integrity [ 62 ]. From this perspective, surface chemistry of MXenes should be managed to avoid further toxic effects using redirecting into more safe surface compositions [ 59 ].…”

“…In other approach, natural antioxidants are good in diminishing surface oxidation [ 49 ]. In addition, approaches that involve surface modification with bio-organic moieties, specifically designed for cytotoxicity mitigation, are also highly recommended [ 62 , 63 ].…”

Recent Progress in Emerging Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Carbides

“…Besides the particle-like TMCs utilizing in catalytic and energy storage fields, film is another fashion of TMCs, where the solid materials have tiny dimensions in one dimension. Because the thickness is small, the proportion of surface particles is large, and the continuity of the structure is restricted by the surface interface, the properties of the thin films are quite different from those of the bulk materials including [49]: the decreases of melting point [32]; the selective projection and reflection of light [50]; the generation of surface energy level and surface magnetic anisotropy [51]; the varied critical temperature of superconductivity [52]; and the generated tunnel current in the direction of the thickness [53]. With the dimensionality decrease from three-dimensional to two-dimensional, the few-layered graphene and MoS 2 display many unique properties, which are quite different with their bulk states, such as higher carrier mobility and field modulated effect [53,54].…”

Smart and Sustainable Nanotechnological Solutions in a Battle against COVID-19 and Beyond: A Critical Review

“…A recent study demonstrates the use of delaminated 2D Nb 2 C and Nb 4 C 3 MXenes modified with poly- l -lysine (PLL) as effective ROS scavenging agents. 105 Another study presents feasible ROS, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and inflammatory cytokines scavengers based on 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD). Delaminated 2D WS 2 , MoSe 2 , and WSe 2 nanosheets surface modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) effectively reduced mitochondrial and intracellular ROS and RNS in inflammatory cells.…”