A bimodal theranostic nanodelivery system based on [graphene oxide-chlorogenic acid-gadolinium/gold] nanoparticles

PLoS One. 2018 Jul 25;13(7):e0200760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200760. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

We have synthesized a bimodal theranostic nanodelivery system (BIT) that is based on graphene oxide (GO) and composed of a natural chemotherapeutic agent, chlorogenic acid (CA) used as the anticancer agent, while gadolinium (Gd) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modality. The CA and Gd guest agents were simultaneously loaded on the GO nanolayers using chemical interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and π-π non-covalent interactions to form GOGCA nanocomposite. Subsequently, the AuNPs were doped on the surface of the GOGCA by means of electrostatic interactions, which resulted in the BIT. The physico-chemical studies of the BIT affirmed its successful development. The X-ray diffractograms (XRD) collected of the various stages of BIT synthesis showed the successive development of the hybrid system, while 90% of the chlorogenic acid was released in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 4.8. This was further reaffirmed by the in vitro evaluations, which showed stunted HepG2 cancer cells growth against the above 90% cell growth in the control cells. A reverse case was recorded for the 3T3 normal cells. Further, the acquired T1-weighted image of the BIT doped samples obtained from the MRI indicated contrast enhancement in comparison with the plain Gd and water references. The abovementioned results portray our BIT as a promising future chemotherapeutic for anticancer treatment with diagnostic modalities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Chlorogenic Acid / chemistry
  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Gadolinium / chemistry
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Graphite / chemistry
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kinetics
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Nanocomposites*
  • Oxides / chemistry
  • Surface Properties
  • Temperature
  • Theranostic Nanomedicine / methods*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Contrast Media
  • Oxides
  • graphene oxide
  • Chlorogenic Acid
  • gadolinium oxide
  • Gold
  • Graphite
  • Gadolinium

Grants and funding

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia (MOHE) provided the funds for the research under a NanoMITe grant Vot No. 5526300.