Different chemical strategies to aminate oxidised multi-walled carbon nanotubes for siRNA complexation and delivery

Carbon-based Nanomaterials for delivery of small RNA molecules: a focus on potential cancer treatment applications

BACKGROUND

Nucleic acid-mediated therapy holds immense potential in the treatment of recalcitrant human diseases such as cancer. This is underscored by advances in understanding the mechanisms of gene regulation. In particular, the endogenous protective mechanism of gene silencing known as RNA interference (RNAi) has been extensively exploited.

METHODS

We review here the developments from 2011 to 2021, in the use of nanographene oxide, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, carbon nanohorns, carbon nanodots and nanodiamonds for the delivery of therapeutic small RNA molecules.

RESULTS

Appropriately designed effector molecules such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), can, in theory, silence the expression of any disease-causing gene. Alternatively, siRNA can be generated in vivo through the introduction of plasmid-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression vectors. Other small RNAs such as micro RNA (miRNA) also function in post-transcriptional gene regulation and are aberrantly expressed under disease conditions. The miRNA-based therapy involves either restoration of miRNA function through the introduction of miRNA mimics; or the inhibition of miRNA function by delivering anti-miRNA oligomers. However, the large size, hydrophilicity, negative charge and nuclease-sensitivity of nucleic acids necessitate an appropriate carrier for their introduction as medicine into cells.

CONCLUSION

While numerous organic and inorganic materials have been investigated for this purpose, the perfect carrier agent remains elusive. In recent years, carbon-based nanomaterials have received widespread attention in biotechnology due to their tunable surface characteristics, mechanical, electrical, optical and chemical properties.

Carbon Nanotubes: Smart Drug/Gene Delivery Carriers

The unique properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (such as their high surface to volume ratios, enhanced conductivity and strength, biocompatibility, ease of functionalization, optical properties, etc.) have led to their consideration to serve as novel drug and gene delivery carriers. CNTs are effectively taken up by many different cell types through several mechanisms. CNTs have acted as carriers of anticancer molecules (including docetaxel (DTX), doxorubicin (DOX), methotrexate (MTX), paclitaxel (PTX), and gemcitabine (GEM)), anti-inflammatory drugs, osteogenic dexamethasone (DEX) steroids, etc. In addition, the unique optical properties of CNTs have led to their use in a number of platforms for improved photo-therapy. Further, the easy surface functionalization of CNTs has prompted their use to deliver different genes, such as plasmid DNA (PDNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and small interfering RNA (siRNA) as gene delivery vectors for various diseases such as cancers. However, despite all of these promises, the most important continuous concerns raised by scientists reside in CNT nanotoxicology and the environmental effects of CNTs, mostly because of their non-biodegradable state. Despite a lack of widespread FDA approval, CNTs have been studied for decades and plenty of in vivo and in vitro reports have been published, which are reviewed here. Lastly, this review covers the future research necessary for the field of CNT medicine to grow even further.

Straightforward preparation of highly loaded MWCNT-polyamine hybrids and their application in catalysis

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were easily and efficiently functionalised with highly cross-linked polyamines. The radical polymerisation of two bis-vinylimidazolium salts in the presence of pristine MWCNTs and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a radical initiator led to the formation of materials with a high functionalisation degree. The subsequent treatment with sodium borohydride gave rise to the reduction of imidazolium moieties with the concomitant formation of secondary and tertiary amino groups. The obtained materials were characterised by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, solid state ¹³C-NMR, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), potentiometric titration, and temperature programmed desorption of carbon dioxide (CO₂-TPD). One of the prepared materials was tested as a heterogeneous base catalyst in C-C bond forming reactions such as the Knoevenagel condensation and Henry reaction. Furthermore, two examples concerning a sequential one-pot approach involving two consecutive reactions, namely Knoevenagel and Michael reactions, were reported.

The Puzzling Potential of Carbon Nanomaterials: General Properties, Application, and Toxicity

Being a member of the nanofamily, carbon nanomaterials exhibit specific properties that mostly arise from their small size. They have proved to be very promising for application in the technical and biomedical field. A wide spectrum of use implies the inevitable presence of carbon nanomaterials in the environment, thus potentially endangering their whole nature. Although scientists worldwide have conducted research investigating the impact of these materials, it is evident that there are still significant gaps concerning the knowledge of their mechanisms, as well as the prolonged and chronic exposure and effects. This manuscript summarizes the most prominent representatives of carbon nanomaterial groups, giving a brief review of their general physico-chemical properties, the most common use, and toxicity profiles. Toxicity was presented through genotoxicity and the activation of the cell signaling pathways, both including in vitro and in vivo models, mechanisms, and the consequential outcomes. Moreover, the acute toxicity of fullerenol, as one of the most commonly investigated members, was briefly presented in the final part of this review. Thinking small can greatly help us improve our lives, but also obliges us to deeply and comprehensively investigate all the possible consequences that could arise from our pure-hearted scientific ambitions and work.

Emergence in the functionalized carbon nanotubes as smart nanocarriers for drug delivery applications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the newer generation advanced materials for diverse applications, starting from physical, mechanical, chemical and biological sciences. However, the present era of healthcare industry is extensively using CNTs for exploring their applications in mitigating diverse needs. The considered attention in CNTs is due to their inimitable properties such as size and aspect ratio covering surface area to the length, and amenable electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. Available in diverse forms, viz. single-walled, double walled or multi-walled structures, CNTs of different forms possess multiple advantages in various healthcare segments, and especially in drug delivery for the treatment of diseases. CNTs have proven to be useful in specific drug delivery applications such as controlled and targeted drug delivery to desired sites such as lymphatic and ocular systems, brain and other cancerous tissues. Multiple research reports have been published till date, which unequivocally gives testimony to the potential applications of CNTs. The present book chapter, in this regard, endeavor to provide an overview on synthesis, characterization and drug delivery applications of CNTs. The chapter highlights on recent regulatory standards on commercial production and safety testing of the CNTs for translating them into market.

Carbon Nanomaterials in Biological Studies and Biomedicine

The "carbon nano-world" has made over the past few decades huge contributions in diverse scientific disciplines and technological advances. While dramatic advances have been widely publicized in using carbon nanomaterials such as fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene in materials sciences, nano-electronics, and photonics, their contributions to biology and biomedicine have been noteworthy as well. This Review focuses on the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, and carbon quantum dots [encompassing graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and carbon dots (C-dots)] in biologically oriented materials and applications. Examples of these remarkable nanomaterials in bio-sensing, cell- and tissue-imaging, regenerative medicine, and other applications are presented and discussed, emphasizing the significance of their unique properties and their future potential.

Carbon nanotubes: a novel material for multifaceted applications in human healthcare

Remarkable advances achieved in modern material technology, especially in device fabrication, have facilitated diverse materials to expand the list of their application fields.

Role of donor-acceptor macrocycles in sequence specific peptide recognition and their optoelectronic properties: a detailed computational insight

In this study, we have considered an experimentally synthesized organic donor-acceptor (D-A) macrocycle (CPP-TCAQ) and have modified it by incorporating different acceptor groups. We have performed density functional theory and classical molecular dynamics studies on these D-A macrocycles. We have clearly shown that cyclo[10]paraphenylene-2,6-tetracyanoanthraquinodimethanylene (CPP-TCAQ) isomers interact specifically with one particular peptide sequence tyr-leu-ala, over its structural isomer, tyr-ala-leu. However, other functionalized macrocycles bind to the tyr-ala-leu peptide sequence over tyr-leu-ala. Our calculations show that the presence of hydrogen bonds as well as π-π interactions responsible for this specific selection. Interestingly, it is the additional charge transfer induced dipolar interactions that favour binding of the tripeptide with the bulky C-terminal leucine amino acid, tyr-ala-leu. We confirmed that these host-guest complexes are stable in water medium as well as at room temperature. Thus, these hosts can bind effectively to any protein fragment bearing a particular tripeptide. Interestingly, the macrocycle, which recognizes the peptide sequence with a bulky C-terminal amino acid, also shows photophysical properties. The reasons for this happen to be the same (dipolar interactions introduce dipole allowed states for optical absorption as well as attracting the oppositely oriented dipolar groups). Recognition of the peptide sequence with a bulky C-terminal group is carried out for the first time with this functionalised macrocycle, which in addition shows photophysical properties.

Development and evaluation of targeting ligand-anchored CNTs as prospective targeted drug delivery system

Our main investigation in the present research was to developt and evaluate targeting ligand-anchored multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as prospective targeted drug delivery system, with a special focus on the MWCNTs surface functionalization (FA-PEG bis-amine functionalized, carboxylated MWCNTs). In vitro release of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was studied at pH 7.4 phosphate buffer and 5.5 acetate buffer, which displayed initial faster followed by sustained release up to 900 min. Further, 5-FU/FA-PEG bis amine-MWCNTs was found to be long circulating, prolonged half-life and increased drug accumulation in target tissue.