A facile one-pot synthesis of starch functionalized graphene as nano-carrier for pH sensitive and starch-mediated drug delivery.
A fast, green and facile method was developed to prepare starch functionalized graphene nanosheets (starch-GNS) via the reduction of exfoliated graphene oxides by soluble starch, which acted both as a reductant and as a functionalization reagent for capping graphene nanosheets to prevent aggregation. The as-prepared starch-GNS exhibited good biocompatibility, which was deemed crucial for the biomedical application of graphene. Cellular toxicity tests suggested that the starch-GNS was nontoxic to SW-620 cells even at the relatively concentration of 200 μg mL(-1). After the loading of the commonly used anticancer drug hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) via physisorption on starch-GNS, the HCPT@starch-GNS composite exhibited a high drug loading capacity and was therefore used for cellular imaging and drug delivery studies. Through the nonspecific endocytosis effect, the HCPT@starch-GNS composite was encapsulated into cytoplasm by SW-620 cancer cells. With the double action of an acid microenvironment and the diastase in SW-620 cells, the HCPT@starch-GNS composite showed high toxicity to the SW-620 cells and experienced a pH sensitive as well as a starch-mediated in vitro sustained release process, which had the potential advantage of improving therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, the starch-GNS composite could be used as an ideal nano-carrier for drug delivery and offered a new avenue for broadening the application of graphene in biomedicine.
College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China; Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China; Faculty of Biotechnology Industry, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, Sichuan, China.
Kunping
K
Liu
Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China.
Yimin
Y
Wang
Faculty of Biotechnology Industry, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, Sichuan, China.
Huiming
H
Li
Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, Key Laboratory of Bio-resource and Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China. Electronic address: yduan@scu.edu.cn.
Yixiang
Y
Duan
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004339:Drug Compounding; D065546:Drug Liberation; D004705:Endocytosis; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010087:Oxides; D013213:Starch / Q000737:chemistry*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D010087:Oxides; C527042:hydroxycamptothecinum; D006108:Graphite; D013213:Starch; D002166:Camptothecin
Cellular imaging; Drug delivery; Graphene; HCPT; Starch