Comparative radiosensitization efficiency assessment of graphene oxide and Ti₃C₂ MXene as 2D carbon-based nanoparticles against breast cancer cells: characterization, toxicity and mechanisms

Abstract

The efficacy of two carbon-based nanomaterials, graphene oxide (GO) and Ti3C2 MXene (MX), on the radiosensitivity of the breast cancer cells (BCC) was investigated using clinical X-ray irradiation. The prepared GO and MX nanoparticles (NPs) were firstly characterized utilizing FT-IR, UV-Vis, AFM and TEM techniques and subsequently assessed in terms of their radiobiological properties. The results of the cell toxicity assay indicated that neither NPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity after 48 h incubation with BCC up to 50 µg/mL concentration without irradiation. The cell internalization results showed an approximately equivalent cellular uptake for both NPs after 6 h incubation with BCC. Our comparative studies with radiotherapy demonstrated that both NPs substantially increased cell proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis of BCC under X-ray irradiation when compared to BCC treated with irradiation alone. Additionally, the DCFH-DA flow cytometry results and fluorescent microscopy images revealed that both NPs remarkably increased the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in BCC under X-ray irradiation. The MX nanosheets exhibited superior radiosensitization efficiency than GO under X-ray irradiation due to its higher level of intracellular ROS generation (MX = 75.2 % and GO = 65.2 %). Clonogenic cell survival assay and extracted radiobiological parameters revealed that both NPs in combination with X-ray irradiation induced more lethal damage and less sublethal damage to BCC. Generally, the obtained results demonstrate that the MX NPs, as a stronger radiosensitizer than GO, could be a promising candidate for enhancing the effectiveness of radiotherapy in breast cancer treatment.

Ameliorating Effects of Graphene Oxide on Cadmium Accumulation and Eco-Physiological Characteristics in a Greening Hyperaccumulator (Lonicera japonica Thunb.)

“…Nanomaterials (NMs) with a series of superior performances have been widely used in medicine, mechanics, electronics, agriculture and the energy field [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. As one of the most attractive NMs with multiple forms, carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) with nano-sized and unique physico-chemical properties, including graphene oxide (GO), single-walled carbon nanotubes, multiple-walled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanoparticles and fullerenes, provoke tremendous scientific interest for nanotechnology development of a wide range of medical and industrial applications [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Among them, GO, as a novel CBN, presents the widest application duo to more fascinating properties, such as high surface area, good thermal stability, excellent mechanical strength, high optical transmittance and electrical conductivity [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”