Engineering Two-in-One Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Delivery of Graphene Quantum Dot and Pemetrexed
Umut Can Öz1, Berrin Küçüktürkmen1, I Jénnifer Gómez2
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Yenimahalle, Ankara 06560, Türkiye.
ACS Omega
|October 27, 2025
Summary
This study developed dual-purpose nanoparticles for cancer therapy. These nanoparticles deliver chemotherapy drugs and act as imaging probes, enhancing treatment effectiveness and enabling real-time monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanomedicine
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are crucial for co-delivering therapeutic agents and imaging probes in cancer treatment.
- Developing multifunctional nanocarriers is key for enhanced drug delivery and theranostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a novel nanocarrier system for co-delivery of pemetrexed (PMT) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs).
- To optimize NP formulation for enhanced cancer therapy and bioimaging applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an amphiphilic block copolymer (PEtOx-b-PCL) and DDAB to formulate NPs.
- Employed a central composite design (CCD) for formulation optimization.
- Evaluated physicochemical properties, in vitro cytotoxicity, and intracellular uptake via confocal microscopy.
Main Results:
- Optimized NPs showed positive surface charge (~6-8 mV) and hydrodynamic diameters (~140 nm).
- Achieved high encapsulation efficiency for PMT (46-56%) and GQDs (>98%).
- PMT-loaded NPs significantly increased cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells compared to free PMT, with N-PMT NPs and S-PMT NPs inhibiting proliferation by 50.7% and 53.8% respectively.
Conclusions:
- The developed nanocarrier system effectively co-delivers chemotherapy and imaging probes.
- Demonstrated enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy and potential for real-time bioimaging in cancer nanomedicine.
- Established a promising platform for advanced cancer drug delivery and treatment monitoring.
