Title:Photothermal Ablation of Cancer Cells Using Folate-Coated Gold/ Graphene Oxide Composite
Volume: 14
Issue: 3
Author(s): Nicolò Mauro, Anna Li Volsi, Cinzia Scialabba, Mariano Licciardi, Gennara Cavallaro and Gaetano Giammona
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Gold nanoparticles, graphene, hyperthermia, inulin, folate, paclitaxel, thermal ablation.
Abstract: Objective: A new tumor targeted polymer-coated gold/graphene hybrid has been developed
for achieving simultaneously thermoablation and chemoterapy of folate receptor-positive cancer cells.
Methods: The gold/graphene hybrid was prepared by depositing gold nanospheres onto graphene oxide
and coating it with an inulin-folate conjugate. Paclitaxel was loaded by sonication. The hybrid was
characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, DSC analysis and SEM microscopy. The cytotoxicity, thermoablation
and anticancer activity were evaluated in vitro on MCF-7 and 16 HBE.
Results: In vitro tests showed that the paclitaxel-loaded hybrid improved the effectiveness of the drug
especially after photothermal treatments.
Conclusion: On the whole, while gold/graphene composite provided an excellent time-dependent photothermal
effect, the loading of paclitaxel allowed a suitable chemotherapy, thus killing cancer cells
both via a selective laser beam thermoablation and hyperthermia-triggered chemotherapy.
