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.
Keywords: Gold nanoparticles; folate; graphene; hyperthermia; inulin; paclitaxel; thermal ablation.
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