A number of nanomaterials have been developed for application in biomedical areas. Upon conjugation with specific biomolecules, these materials are capable of targeting specific tissues and cells, promoting diagnosis and therapy at the same time. These so-called theranostic materials represent the state-of-the-art in the use of hybrid nanocomposites for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Due to their ease of preparation and functionalization, graphene oxides and gold nanorods (AuNRs), in particular, have found applications as theranostic agents for cancer therapy. These materials exhibit an absorption band in the near infrared region - where the maximum radiation penetration through tissues occurs-, which makes them appropriate for <i>in vivo</i> photothermal applications. In this study we report the synthesis and application of a hybrid nanocomposite based upon AuNRs coated with cancer cell membranes, used as active agents in photohyperthermia. Glutamine-covered graphene oxide nanocomplexes were also synthesized and applied in the hyperthermia studies. The incorporation of gold nanorods into real membrane monolayers was also studied using Langmuir techniques. Our results revealed significant differences on how the nanorods systems interact with the membranes, especially regarding the influence of nanorods size and surface charge. The latter indicated that the lipids present in the covering membrane exerted high influence on the uptake process. The use of cancer cell membrane-coated nanoparticles opens up new possibilities regarding the development of efficient theranostic nanosystems and brings benefits to the field of personalized medicines. The toxicity exhibited by the nanocomplexes against healthy human cells and aquatic organisms will also be addressed.

Nanocomposites applied as photohyperthermia agents: Cancer therapy and toxicity studies

255th National Meeting (2018)

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