Glucose-Reduced Graphene Oxide with Excellent Biocompatibility and Photothermal Efficiency as well as Drug Loading

摘要

In the present work, we report a facile and rapid green strategy to fabricate functionalized reduced nano-graphene oxide (nrGO) as a cooperative nanotemplate for both photothermal therapy and drug loading. Graphite oxide was firstly oxidated by nitronium ions (NO~(2) _(+)) solution at the aid of microwave heating to obtain nano-GO (nGO) with about 50?nm of diameter, and the nGO was then reduced in pure glucose at 135?°C for 30?min to obtain nrGO with about 40?nm of diameter. The nrGO exhibits excellent biocompatibility including stable dispersibility in cell culture medium and rapid cellular uptake as well as non-cytotoxicity up to 100?μg/mL. Absorption of the nrGO at 808?nm wavelength increased more than 10-folds compared with nGO. Moreover, the nrGO has the ability to load about 317?% ( w/w ) of doxorubicin (DOX), and the loaded DOX could be effectively released by acid condition and/or glutathione (GSH) and/or heating. Finally, a greater cancer cell death efficacy was observed in nrGO/DOX-treated cells with GSH and heating stimulation respectively or their combination. Collectively, the nrGO developed here is an outstanding cooperative nano-platform for high-efficiency photothermal therapy and controllable drug delivery.