Organotin(IV)‐Decorated Graphene Quantum Dots as Dual Platform for Molecular Imaging and Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

The pharmacological activity of organotin(IV) complexes in cancer therapy is well recognized but their large applicability is hampered by their poor water solubility. Hence, carbon dots, in particular nitrogen‐doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs), may be a promising alternative for the efficient delivery of organotin(IV) compounds as they have a substantial aqueous solubility, a good chemical stability, and non‐toxicity as well as a bright photoluminescence that make them ideal for theranostic applications against cancer. Two different multifunctional nanosystems have been synthesized and fully characterized based on two fragments of organotin‐based cytotoxic compounds and 4‐formylbenzoic acid (FBA), covalently grafted onto the NGQDs surface. Subsequently, an in vitro determination of the therapeutic and theranostic potential of the achieved multifunctional systems was carried out. The results showed a high cytotoxic potential of the NGQDs‐FBA‐Sn materials against breast cancer cell line (MDA‐MB‐231) and a lower effect on a non‐cancer cell line (kidney cells, HEK293T). Besides, thanks to their optical properties, the dots enabled their fluorescence molecular imaging in the cytoplasmatic region of the cells pointing towards a successful cellular uptake and a release of the metallodrug inside cancer cells (NGQDs‐FBA‐Sn).

Quantum Dot Research in Breast Cancer: Challenges and Prospects

“…Organotin (IV)-decorated nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) were developed for targeting and treating triple-negative breast cancer. These NGQDs, noted for their water solubility, chemical stability, and photoluminescence, demonstrated high cytotoxic potential and successful cellular uptake, marking them as potential candidates for targeted therapy and molecular imaging in the context of aggressive breast cancer types [96].…”

“…Therapeutic Applications and Mechanisms: Exploring therapeutic applications involves evaluating drug delivery systems, therapeutic efficacy, and studying underlying mechanisms like apoptosis, and photothermal and photodynamic effects [1,3,6,7,10,16,17,25,96,115]. Mechanistic studies are critical as they delve into cellular responses, such as cell cycle progression and apoptosis, revealing how QDs influence biological processes at the molecular level [10,45,95,98,114,115].…”

Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer potential of pyrene-appended Schiff base tin(iv) complexes: experimental and computational insights

“…6–8 Moreover, organotin compounds have demonstrated potential as cancer chemotherapeutic agents, attributed to their ability to induce apoptosis and their lipophilic nature. 9–17 This has prompted significant research efforts towards the design of organotin( iv ) complexes as potential anticancer agents, aiming to enhance their therapeutic efficacy through selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells. 11–18…”

“…9–17 This has prompted significant research efforts towards the design of organotin( iv ) complexes as potential anticancer agents, aiming to enhance their therapeutic efficacy through selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells. 11–18…”