Controlled quercetin release from high-capacity-loading hyperbranched polyglycerol-functionalized graphene oxide.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) offers unique properties for drug delivery applications.
• Developing efficient and biocompatible drug delivery systems is crucial for cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an efficient drug-delivery system using graphene oxide (GO) for controlled release of anticancer drugs.
• To functionalize GO with hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) to enhance its drug-loading and release capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of single-layer GO sheets via a modified Hummers method.
• Grafting of biocompatible hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) onto GO surface via ring-opening polymerization.
• Loading of quercetin (Qu) anticancer drug onto HPG-modified GO (HPG-GO) via noncovalent interactions.

Main Results:

• HPG grafting confirmed by spectroscopy and microscopy, increasing GO d-spacing and improving dispersion.
• HPG-GO exhibited significantly higher drug-loading capacity (185%) and encapsulation efficiency (93%) compared to linear polymer-modified GO.
• Controlled and sustained drug release observed at various pH levels, with faster release in acidic conditions.
• HPG-GO demonstrated no cytotoxicity on MCF7 cells and confirmed cellular uptake via intracellular drug quantification.

Conclusions:

• The developed HPG-GO nanocarrier shows high drug-loading capacity, pH-dependent release, and excellent cytocompatibility.
• This system holds promise as a nanocarrier for effective anticancer drug delivery.
• The combination of GO properties and biodegradable polyglycerol offers a versatile platform for drug delivery.