Abstract
This work develops a new multifunctional biocompatible anticancer nanoformulation to provide targeted image-guided cancer-selective therapeutics. It consists of three active covalently bound components: (1) biocompatible nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a multifunctional delivery and imaging platform, (2) hyaluronic acid (HA) unit targeted to the CD44 receptors on a variety of cancer cells, and (3) oxidative stress-based cancer-selective ferrocene (Fc) therapeutic. The biocompatible GQD platform synthesized from glucosamine exhibits high-yield intrinsic fluorescence. It is utilized for tracking Fc-GQD-HA formulation in vitro indicating internalization enhancement in HeLa cells targeted by the HA over non-cancer HEK-293 cells not overexpressing CD44 receptor. Fc-GQD-HA, non-toxic at 1 mg/mL to HEK-293 cells, induces cytotoxic response in HeLa enhanced over time, while therapeutic ROS generation by Fc-GQD-HA is ~3 times greater than that of Fc alone. This outlines the targeted delivery, imaging, and cancer-specific treatment capabilities of the new Fc-GQD-HA formulation enabling desired cancer-focused nanotherapeutic approach.
A novel cancer-specific nanomedicine is developed based on nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) covalently bound to ferrocene cancer-selective therapeutic and hyaluronic acid targeting agent. It provides N-GQD fluorescence image-tracked preferential accumulation in cancer cells with cytotoxic responses in cancer cells and minimal/no toxicity in regular cells. The therapeutic effect is provided by reactive oxygen species generated in the redox cycle of iron in the reducing environment of cancer cells, while N-GQDs offer protection for healthy cells from adverse effects of the treatment. [Display omitted]