Graphene Quantum Dot Anticancer Drug Delivery

Abstract

Research question: I have conducted research for the last four years to determine if nanomaterials can be used to increase the efficacy of a variety of common anticancer drugs and reduce their non-specific toxicity. My work focused on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) developed specifically for both single drug application and combination drug therapy. Can we use nanomaterials to increase efficacy of cancer drugs and reduce toxicity, specifically using graphene quantum dots?

Background, Significance and Rationale for Question: Nanoparticles are considered an important approach to selectively increase drug accumulation inside tumor cells and thus decreasing the associated side effects. They are highly biocompatible, provide a large platform with a variety of addends for convenient functionalization-based drug attachment and exhibit fluorescence in both visible and near-infrared spectral regions.

Materials and Methods: One cancer cell line will be used: HeLa- human cervical carcinoma, to assess the potential of GQDs for drug transport and tracking. Graphene quantum dots were tested with several anticancer drugs including Doxorubicin, Vincristine, Paclitaxel, Gemcitabine for cellular toxicity. Next cells were exposed to GQDs coupled with anticancer drugs for intervals of 6, 12, and 24 hours. After exposure they were transferred to microscope slides and fluorescence was measured using fluorescence microscopy. Lastly, fluorescence was measured via images of the slides and the data collected analyzed to create graphs trending the amount of fluorescence of cells for GQDs coupled with anticancer drugs and anticancer drugs alone.

Results: Upon exposure of cancer cells to anticancer drug-loaded GQDs we were able to track intracellular drug accumulation via quantum dot fluorescence in the visible and near-infrared. Next, cell fluorescence was measured for each of the anticancer drug-loaded GQDs at increasing time intervals of exposure, which showed a positive relationship of increasing fluorescence with increasing time intervals.

Discussion/Conclusions: GQDs are expected to successfully reduce the off-target toxicity of anti-cancer drugs by reducing offsite accumulation and focusing/enhancing delivery to cancer cells while also increasing the drug efficacy. Our findings are significantly impactful because GQDs are cheap to produce, will achieve therapeutic results in lower concentrations and will result in fewer side effects for the patient. As the amount of drug needed is expected to be lowered by nanomaterials-assisted administration, this project will contribute to reducing the financial burden that devastates the American cancer patient population.