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Perini G, Palmieri V, Ciasca G, D’Ascenzo M, Primiano A, Gervasoni J, De Maio F, De Spirito M, Papi M. Enhanced Chemotherapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme Mediated by Functionalized Graphene Quantum Dots. Materials (Basel) 2020; 13:ma13184139. [PMID: 32957607 PMCID: PMC7560355 DOI: 10.3390/ma13184139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma is the most aggressive and lethal brain cancer. Current treatments involve surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the life expectancy of patients with this disease remains short and chemotherapy leads to severe adverse effects. Furthermore, the presence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) makes it difficult for drugs to effectively reach the brain. A promising strategy lies in the use of graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are light-responsive graphene nanoparticles that have shown the capability of crossing the BBB. Here we investigate the effect of GQDs on U87 human glioblastoma cells and primary cortical neurons. Non-functionalized GQDs (NF-GQDs) demonstrated high biocompatibility, while dimethylformamide-functionalized GQDs (DMF-GQDs) showed a toxic effect on both cell lines. The combination of GQDs and the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (Dox) was tested. GQDs exerted a synergistic increase in the efficacy of chemotherapy treatment, specifically on U87 cells. The mechanism underlying this synergy was investigated, and it was found that GQDs can alter membrane permeability in a manner dependent on the surface chemistry, facilitating the uptake of Dox inside U87 cells, but not on cortical neurons. Therefore, experimental evidence indicates that GQDs could be used in a combined therapy against brain cancer, strongly increasing the efficacy of chemotherapy and, at the same time, reducing its dose requirement along with its side effects, thereby improving the life quality of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano Perini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Valentina Palmieri
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (M.P.)
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Marcello D’Ascenzo
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Aniello Primiano
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Jacopo Gervasoni
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Flavio De Maio
- Dipartimento di Scienze di Laboratorio e Infettivologiche, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli”IRCSS, 00185 Rome, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Scienze biotecnologiche di base, cliniche intensivologiche e perioperatorie—Sezione di Microbiologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00185 Roma, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00185 Roma, Italy; (A.P.); (J.G.)
- Correspondence: (V.P.); (M.P.)
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Perini G, Palmieri V, Ciasca G, D’Ascenzo M, Gervasoni J, Primiano A, Rinaldi M, Fioretti D, Prampolini C, Tiberio F, Lattanzi W, Parolini O, De Spirito M, Papi M. Graphene Quantum Dots' Surface Chemistry Modulates the Sensitivity of Glioblastoma Cells to Chemotherapeutics. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6301. [PMID: 32878114 PMCID: PMC7503375 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence has shown that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, the barrier that reduces cancer therapy efficacy. Here, we tested three alternative GQDs' surface chemistries on two neural lineages (glioblastoma cells and mouse cortical neurons). We showed that surface chemistry modulates GQDs' biocompatibility. When used in combination with the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin, GDQs exerted a synergistic effect on tumor cells, but not on neurons. This appears to be mediated by the modification of membrane permeability induced by the surface of GQDs. Our findings highlight that GQDs can be adopted as a suitable delivery and therapeutic strategy for the treatment of glioblastoma, by both directly destabilizing the cell membrane and indirectly increasing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano Perini
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
| | - Valentina Palmieri
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Via dei Taurini 19, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Ciasca
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
| | - Marcello D’Ascenzo
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
| | - Jacopo Gervasoni
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Aniello Primiano
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Rinaldi
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (ITF), Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR), 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.R.); (D.F.)
| | - Daniela Fioretti
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology (ITF), Department of Biomedical Sciences, National Research Council (CNR), 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.R.); (D.F.)
| | - Chiara Prampolini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Tiberio
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Wanda Lattanzi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Parolini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Spirito
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
| | - Massimiliano Papi
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.P.); (G.C.); (M.D.); (M.D.S.)
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (J.G.); (A.P.); (C.P.); (F.T.); (W.L.); (O.P.)
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Podda MV, Piacentini R, Barbati SA, Mastrodonato A, Puzzo D, D’Ascenzo M, Leone L, Grassi C. Role of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in the modulation of mouse hippocampal neurogenesis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e73246. [PMID: 23991183 PMCID: PMC3750014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural stem cells generate neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in mammals, including humans, throughout adulthood. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been the focus of many studies due to its relevance in processes such as learning and memory and its documented impairment in some neurodegenerative diseases. However, we are still far from having a complete picture of the mechanism regulating this process. Our study focused on the possible role of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. These voltage-independent channels activated by cyclic nucleotides, first described in retinal and olfactory receptors, have been receiving increasing attention for their involvement in several brain functions. Here we show that the rod-type, CNGA1, and olfactory-type, CNGA2, subunits are expressed in hippocampal neural stem cells in culture and in situ in the hippocampal neurogenic niche of adult mice. Pharmacological blockade of CNG channels did not affect cultured neural stem cell proliferation but reduced their differentiation towards the neuronal phenotype. The membrane permeant cGMP analogue, 8-Br-cGMP, enhanced neural stem cell differentiation to neurons and this effect was prevented by CNG channel blockade. In addition, patch-clamp recording from neuron-like differentiating neural stem cells revealed cGMP-activated currents attributable to ion flow through CNG channels. The current work provides novel insights into the role of CNG channels in promoting hippocampal neurogenesis, which may prove to be relevant for stem cell-based treatment of cognitive impairment and brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vittoria Podda
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Piacentini
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Mastrodonato
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Puzzo
- Section of Physiology, Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Marcello D’Ascenzo
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Leone
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Grassi
- Institute of Human Physiology, Medical School, Università Cattolica, Rome, Italy
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