Fabrication of albumin-Ti3C2 MXene quantum dots-based nanohybrids for breast cancer imaging and synergistic photo/chemotherapeutics

So Yeon Won; Ritu Singhmar; Sumanta Sahoo; Hongmi Kim; Chul Min Kim; Soon Mo Choi; Ankur Sood; Sung Soo Han

doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114207

Fabrication of albumin-Ti₃C₂ MXene quantum dots-based nanohybrids for breast cancer imaging and synergistic photo/chemotherapeutics

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2024 Sep 3:245:114207. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114207. Online ahead of print.

Authors

So Yeon Won¹, Ritu Singhmar¹, Sumanta Sahoo¹, Hongmi Kim², Chul Min Kim³, Soon Mo Choi⁴, Ankur Sood⁵, Sung Soo Han⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea.
² Core Research Support Centre for Natural Products and Medical Materials, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea.
³ Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Gyeongsang National University, 33 Dongjin-ro, Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea.
⁴ School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea; Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea.
⁵ School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea; Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea. Electronic address: ankursood02@gmail.com.
⁶ School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea; Institute of Cell Culture, Yeungnam University, 280 Daehak-ro, Gyeongsan 38541, South Korea. Electronic address: sshan@yu.ac.kr.

PMID: 39243706
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.114207

Abstract

Advancement in the development of new materials with theranostic and phototherapeutic potential along with receptiveness to external stimuli has been persistently inspiring oncology research. Herein, titanium carbide-based MXene quantum dots (FHMQDs) have been synthesized and modified to take advantage of stimuli-responsive behavior and target specificity for breast cancer cells. With a size of around 3 nm, the developed FHMQDs demonstrate high fluorescent emission at around 460 nm. With ∼90 % encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin (DOX), the developed system also offers rapid DOX release behavior when encountering an acidic pH (5.4). Further, the in vitro assessment of the developed FHMQDs on MDA-MB 231 breast cancer cells presents excellent target specificity to cancer cells which was reflected by its high cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Additionally, the outstanding photodynamic efficiency of FHMQDs due to excessive Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generating ability along with apoptosis promoting capability of FHMQDs in cancer cells demonstrates a synergistic approach in cancer theranostics. Encouragingly, the fabricated FHMQDs also exhibited fluorescent labelling and bioimaging capacity which makes it an incredible platform that ensures theranostic excellence in breast cancer research.

Keywords: Active targeting; Cancer; MXene; Photodynamic; Quantum dots; Theranostic.