Aim: Enhance the colloidal stability and photothermal capacity of graphene oxide (GO) by functionalizing it with sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA)-grafted bovine serum albumin (BSA; i.e., SBMA-g-BSA) and by loading IR780, respectively. Materials & methods: SBMA-g-BSA coating and IR780 loading into GO was achieved through a simple sonication process. Results: SBMA-g-BSA-functionalized GO (SBMA-BSA/GO) presented an adequate size distribution and cytocompatibility. When in contact with biologically relevant media, the size of the SBMA-BSA/GO only increased by 8%. By loading IR780 into SBMA-BSA/GO, its photothermal capacity increased by twofold. The combination of near infrared light with SBMA-BSA/GO did not induce photocytotoxicity on breast cancer cells. In contrast, the interaction of IR780-loaded SBMA-BSA/GO with near infrared light caused the ablation of cancer cells. Conclusion: IR780-loaded SBMA-BSA/GO displayed an improved colloidal stability and phototherapeutic capacity.
Keywords: 2D materials; cancer therapy; graphene nanomaterials; photothermal therapy; protein-based coatings; zwitterionic coatings.