Target Delivery and Cell Imaging Using Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots

Abstract

This work demonstrates the way to achieve efficient and target specific delivery of a graphene quantum dot (GQD) using hyaluronic acid (HA) (GQD-HA) as a targeting agent. HA has been anchored to a GQD that accepts the fascinating adhesive properties of the catechol moiety, dopamine hydrochloride, conjugated to HA, which was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a particle size of ∼20 nm, and the fluorescence spectra revealed significant fluorescence intensity even after the anchoring of HA. The prepared GQD-HA was applied to CD44 receptor overexpressed tumor-bearing balb/c female mice, and the in vivo biodistribution investigation demonstrated more bright fluorescence from the tumor tissue. In vitro cellular imaging, via a confocal laser scanning microscope, exhibited strong fluorescence from CD44 overexpressed A549 cells. Both in vivo and in vitro results showed the effectiveness of using HA as targeting molecule. The loading and release kinetics of the hydrophobic drug doxorubicin from a GQD under mildly acidic conditions showed that a GQD can be considered as a novel drug carrier, while the nontoxic behavior from the MTT assay strongly supports the identification of GQD-HA as a biocompatible material.

Hyaluronic acid-functionalized bismuth oxide nanoparticles for computed tomography imaging-guided radiotherapy of tumor

“…As a target-specific drug delivery carrier, HA has been investigated well in the HA receptor-mediated endocytosis because of its polyanionic characteristics and hydrophilicity, 32 and highly efficient targeted delivery to target sites with HA receptors, such as CD44, HARE, and LYVE-1, for various biological functions. 33,34 According to over-mentioned intensive reports, we chose HA as a targeting ligand to synthesize the HA-Bi 2 O 3 NPs as a multifunctional theranostic platform that can afford spatialand temporal-specific CT imaging and enable overcoming cancer radioresistance. This specifically developed tumortargeted probe holds a great promise as a CT imaging CA with better CT imaging quality at reduced CA dosage when compared with the currently available CAs imaged using a clinical CT scanner.…”

Non-invasive imaging of breast cancer using RGDyK functionalized fluorescent carbonaceous nanospheres

“…3,[12][13][14] Besides the property of CDs, the physical barrier of the diseased tissue is another obstacle that restricted the application in non-invasive imaging, and rear studies have used CDs in biological imaging. [24][25][26][27] Integrin, such as a v b 3 , is overexpressed on many kinds of tumor cells and tumor neovascular cells. Multidrug resistance further restricted distribution of drugs or probes in the tumor cells, resulting poor tumor treatment outcome and low tumor/normal tissue ratio.…”

Graphene-based nanomaterials for bioimaging

“…The FL mechanism of GQDs may be originated from quantum size effect, electron hole recombination, zigzag sites and defect effect (energy traps). Nahain et al developed GQD-hyaluronic acid (GQD-HA) with an average size of 20 nm for efficient CD44 targeted delivery to tumor-bearing balb/c female mice, demonstrating bright FL from the tumor tissue (73). The chemotherapy was achieved by releasing doxorubicin under mildly acidic conditions, which was loaded onto the basal plane of GQDs.…”