Preparation and tumor cell model based biobehavioral evaluation of the nanocarrier system using partially reduced graphene oxide functionalized by surfactant

Abstract

Background Currently, surfactant-functionalized nanomaterials are tending toward development of novel tumor-targeted drug carriers to overcome multidrug resistance in cancer therapy. Now, investigating the biocompatibility and uptake mechanism of specific drug delivery systems is a growing trend, but usually a troublesome issue, in simple pharmaceutical research. Methods We first reported the partially reduced graphene oxide modified with poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) as a nanocarrier system. Then, the nanocarrier was characterized by atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-Ray powder diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Epirubicin (EPI) was attached to PSSG via π–π stacking, hydrogen bonding, and physical absorption to form conjugates of PSSG–EPI. The adsorption and desorption profiles, cytotoxicity coupled with drug accumulation, and uptake of PSSG and PSSG–EPI were evaluated. Finally, the subcellular behaviors, distribution, and biological fate of the drug delivery system were explored by confocal laser scanning microscope using direct fluorescence colocalization imaging and transmission electron microscopy. Results The partially reduced graphene oxide sheets functionalized by surfactant exhibit good dispersibility. Moreover, due to much less carboxyl groups retained on the edge of PSSG sheets, the nanocarriers exhibit biocompatibility in vitro. The obtained PSSG shows a high drug-loading capacity of 2.22 mg/mg. The complexes of PSSG–EPI can be transferred to lysosomes in 2 hours through endocytosis, then the drug is released in the cytoplasm in 8 hours, and ultimately EPI is delivered into cell nucleus to exhibit medicinal effects in 1 day. Conclusion The comprehensive exploration of the biological uptake mechanism of functional graphene-mediated tumor cell targeting model provides a typical protocol for evaluation of drug delivery system and will benefit the discovery of new surfactant-modified nanocarriers in nanomedicine.

Preparation of High-Performance Semihomogeneous Cation Exchange Membranes for Electrodialysis via Solvent-Free Polyethylene Particle-Confined Monomer Polymerization

“…In the sulfonated membrane (CEM-60), the remarkable asymmetric stretching vibration peaks of −SO 3 – were observed at 1171 and 1128 cm –1 , while the peaks at 1037 and 1009 cm –1 were associated with the symmetric stretching vibration of −SO 3 – . , In addition, the broad peak at 3700–3000 cm –1 corresponded to the stretching vibration of H 2 O, and the peak at 1635 cm –1 belongs to the O–H bending vibration. And the peak at 831 cm –1 and 672 cm –1 corresponded to the out-of-plane bending vibration of C–H. , These results showed that the sulfonic acid type CEMs were successfully synthesized.…”

“…And the peak at 831 cm −1 and 672 cm −1 corresponded to the out-ofplane bending vibration of �C−H. 25,26 These results showed that the sulfonic acid type CEMs were successfully synthesized.…”