CD44 receptor-driven graphene oxide based nanocarriers for cancer therapy

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Hyaluronic acid (HA) and CD44 receptor interactions are crucial for tumor cell recognition and drug uptake.
• Graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatforms offer potential for targeted drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how HA functionalization and concentration affect the biological behavior of GO nanocarriers for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery.
• To compare the efficacy of HA-functionalized GO nanocarriers in cell lines with differing CD44 expression levels.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of GO nanoplatforms via PEGylation and HA conjugation at varying concentrations.
• Loading of doxorubicin (DOX) onto the nanocarriers.
• Characterization using spectroscopic and microscopic analyses.
• Evaluation of cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and anticancer activity in CD44⁺ and CD44⁻ cell lines.

Main Results:

• HA functionalization enhanced CD44-mediated cellular uptake and increased anticancer activity in CD44⁺ HT-1080 cells.
• The GO@PEG carrier alone exhibited minimal cytotoxicity, indicating good biocompatibility.
• CD44⁻ SKBR3 cells showed limited uptake and higher viability, correlating with lower CD44 expression.
• Confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy confirmed intracellular accumulation and perinuclear localization of nanocarriers.

Conclusions:

• HA plays a significant role in improving the specificity, cellular uptake, and safety of GO-based nanoplatforms.
• CD44 receptor levels critically influence the therapeutic efficiency of targeted nanocarriers.
• The study supports the development of receptor-targeted, biocompatible nanocarrier systems for precision cancer therapy.