Hydrophobic@amphiphilic hybrid nanostructure of iron-oxide and graphene quantum dot surfactant as a theranostic platform
Sepand Tehrani Fateh,
Mahdieh Ahmadi Kamalabadi,
Azita Aliakbarniya,
Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi,
Maedeh Koohi,
Elham Jafari,
Zahra Miri Karam,
Fariborz Keyhanfar,
Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli
Affiliations
Sepand Tehrani Fateh
School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (SBMU), Tehran, Iran; Ronash Technology Pars Company, Tehran, Iran
Mahdieh Ahmadi Kamalabadi
Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
Azita Aliakbarniya
Department of Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mazandaran, Iran
Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi
Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Maedeh Koohi
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
Elham Jafari
Department of Pathology, Pathology and Stem Cell Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Zahra Miri Karam
Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Fariborz Keyhanfar
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Corresponding authors at: Ronash Technology Pars Company, Tehran, Iran.
Amin Shiralizadeh Dezfuli
Ronash Technology Pars Company, Tehran, Iran; Radiation Biology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran; Corresponding authors at: Ronash Technology Pars Company, Tehran, Iran.
Nanostructure hybrids offer exceptional properties and multifunctionality, suitable for the field of theranostics. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are two possible candidates to be used these hybrids due to their chemical, physical and biological properties. GQDs can be modified to act as surfactants. In this study, a hybrid nanostructure of GQDs and MNP has been synthesized based on hydrophobic interactions between long carbon chains on the surface of GQDs on the surroundings and MNP at the center. We have synthesized GQDs through a pyrolysis process and modified them with cetyl alcohol to obtain a surfactant-GQDs (CAGQDs). Moreover, Iron-oxide nanoparticles (IONP) as MNP has been synthesized using oleate-iron complex. Afterward, CAGQDs and IONP are hybridized, leading to a structure in which IONP is located at the center, and it is surrounded by CAGQDs (IONP@CAGQD). IONP@CAGQD possesses fluorescent and magnetic properties. Moreover, hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargo loading abilities, contrast enhancement, targeting abilities, and stimuli-responsiveness are other features of this structure. Furthermore, Low cytotoxicity of IONP@CAGQD makes its biomedical applications possible. IONP@CAGQD can potentially be used as a multifunctional theranostic agent.
