title: PEGylated graphene oxide for tumor-targeted delivery of paclitaxel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The graphene oxide (GO) sheet has been considered one of the most promising carbon derivatives in the field of material science for the past few years and has shown excellent tumor-targeting ability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. We have endeavored to conjugate paclitaxel (PTX) to GO molecule and investigate its anticancer efficacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conjugated the anticancer drug PTX to aminated PEG chains on GO sheets through covalent bonds to get GO-PEG-PTX complexes. The tissue distribution and anticancer efficacy of GO-PEG-PTX were then investigated using a B16 melanoma cancer-bearing C57 mice model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GO-PEG-PTX complexes exhibited excellent water solubility and biocompatibility. Compared with the traditional formulation of PTX (Taxol®), GO-PEG-PTX has shown prolonged blood circulation time as well as high tumor-targeting and -suppressing efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEGylated graphene oxide is an excellent nanocarrier for paclitaxel for cancer targeting.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting & Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
authors.forename: Hongyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Minmin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Abdelbary M A
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elhissi
authors.forename: Zhirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ka-Wai
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Waqar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Phoenix
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004337:Drug Carriers; D010087:Oxides; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006108:Graphite; D017239:Paclitaxel
keywords: cancer therapy; drug delivery; graphene oxide; paclitaxel