Single-Walled Carbon Nanohorns as Promising Nanotube-Derived Delivery Systems to Treat Cancer

Abstract

Cancer has become one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, with increasing incidence in recent years. Current pharmacological strategies are not tissue-specific therapies, which hampers their efficacy and results in toxicity in healthy organs. Carbon-based nanomaterials have emerged as promising nanoplatforms for the development of targeted delivery systems to treat diseased cells. Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNH) are graphene-based horn-shaped nanostructure aggregates with a multitude of versatile features to be considered as suitable nanosystems for targeted drug delivery. They can be easily synthetized and functionalized to acquire the desired physicochemical characteristics, and no toxicological effects have been reported in vivo followed by their administration. This review focuses on the use of SWCNH as drug delivery systems for cancer therapy. Their main applications include their capacity to act as anticancer agents, their use as drug delivery systems for chemotherapeutics, photothermal and photodynamic therapy, gene therapy, and immunosensing. The structure, synthesis, and covalent and non-covalent functionalization of these nanoparticles is also discussed. Although SWCNH are in early preclinical research yet, these nanotube-derived nanostructures demonstrate an interesting versatility pointing them out as promising forthcoming drug delivery systems to target and treat cancer cells.

SWCNH (Single walled carbon nanohorn) supervises ER (Endoplasmic reticulum) stress through triggering autophagy process of hepatocytes, especially in hepatoma cell line HepG2

“…Some investigators have explored the bio-effect role of single-walled carbon nanohorn (SWCNH) [13] in promising carrier for drug delivery systems based on its specific surface structure and large surface area, especially its affinity for biomolecules [14][15][16]. Moreover, we found the toxicity of SWCNH itself in hepatocytes, but the mechanisms remained unclear.…”

Green Approaches to Carbon Nanostructure-Based Biomaterials

“…They are produced by arc-discharge, laser ablation, or joule heating, from graphite [7], although greener alternatives at lower temperatures are continually sought [149]. Similar to the other carbon nanomaterials, they have been proposed for drug delivery [150], sensing [151], theranostics [152], and as components of nanocomposites for phosphoproteomics in cancer diagnosis [153], or for cancer treatment [154], or to yield patches for topical applications on skin [155]. Finally, NDs can be simply used as scaffolds to adsorb other molecular species, as shown for a hydrophobic magnetic-resonance contrast agent that required a mixture of DMSO and water to react with NDs, while the resulting product was water-soluble and could be tested for imaging [131].…”

Application of carbon allotropes composites for targeted cancer therapy drugs: A review

“…These materials are simply prepared and modified to obtain the non-toxicological impacts and favorite physicochemical features. Some reports are referring in vivo administration of these properties [99].…”