Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes functionalized with platinum nanoparticles to sense breast cancer cells in 4T1 model to X-ray radiation

Afsoon Aghaei; Maryam Shaterian; Hossein Danafar; Blaž Likozar; Andraž Šuligoj; Sašo Gyergyek

doi:10.1007/s00604-023-05761-8

Synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes functionalized with platinum nanoparticles to sense breast cancer cells in 4T1 model to X-ray radiation

Mikrochim Acta. 2023 Apr 18;190(5):184. doi: 10.1007/s00604-023-05761-8.

Authors

Afsoon Aghaei¹, Maryam Shaterian², Hossein Danafar³, Blaž Likozar⁴, Andraž Šuligoj⁴, Sašo Gyergyek⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, 451561319, Zanjan, 45371-38791, Iran. afsoon.aghayi@znu.ac.ir.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, 451561319, Zanjan, 45371-38791, Iran. shaterian@znu.ac.ir.
³ Zanjan Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Research Center, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.
⁴ Department of Catalysis and Chemical Reaction Engineering, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
⁵ Department for Materials Synthesis, Jozef Stefan Institute, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

PMID: 37069457
DOI: 10.1007/s00604-023-05761-8

Abstract

In recent years, various types of radiosensitizers have been developed to address the challenges of cancer radiotherapy. Here, platinum-functionalized oxygenated single-walled carbon nanotubes (O-SWCNTs-Pt) coated with folic acid (FA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) (O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA-FA) were synthesized, characterized, and used as radiosensitizers to improve the therapeutic efficacy of X-rays in a mouse model of breast cancer (4T1) in vitro. The nanosensitizer was characterized by different techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry. The evaluation of cell viability with nanocarriers O-SWCNTs-BSA, O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA, Pt-BSA-FA, and O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA-FA is reported at the concentrations of 10, 30, and 90 μg/mL by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay in the presence and absence of X-rays at 4 and 8 Gy. The results showed that administration of O-SWCNTs-BSA, O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA, Pt-BSA-FA, and O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA-FA + 8 Gy at a concentration of 90 μg/mL reduced survival by 75.31, 65.32, 67.35, and 60.35%, respectively. O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA-FA has a hydrodynamic size of 88.57 nm and a surface charge of -29 mV, which indicates special stability. Compared with O-SWCNTs-BSA, O-SWCNTs-Pt-BSA, and Pt-BSA-FA, it has very strong cell-killing activity in the 4T1 cell line. It is also noteworthy that SWCNTs can act as a controlled release and delivery system for PtNPs due to their unique properties and easy penetration into biological membranes. As a result, the new nanosensitizer may play a role in cancer treatment in conjunction with radiotherapy technology. Graphical abstract.

Keywords: Bovine serum albumin; Folic acid; MTT assay; Platinum; Radiosensitizers; Single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Line
Metal Nanoparticles*
Mice
Nanotubes, Carbon* / chemistry
Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Platinum
Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry
X-Rays

Substances

Nanotubes, Carbon
Platinum
Serum Albumin, Bovine