Gum Arabic-mediated liquid exfoliation of transition metal dichalcogenides as photothermic anti-breast cancer candidates

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules 2023-07, Vol.244, p.124982-124982, Article 124982
• Main Authors: Venkatesan, Jayachandran, Hur, Won, Gupta, Pramod K., Son, Seong Eun, Lee, Han Been, Lee, Su Jeong, Ha, Chang Hyeon, Cheon, Se Hwa, Kim, Do Hyeon, Seong, Gi Hun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticancer; Breast Cancer; Gum Arabic; Liquid exfoliation; Photothermal therapy; Transition metal dichalcogenides
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124982

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have gained considerable attention for a broad range of applications, including cancer therapy. Production of TMD nanosheets using liquid exfoliation provides an inexpensive and facile route to achieve high yields. In this study, we developed TMD nanosheets using gum arabic as an exfoliating and stabilizing agent. Different types of TMDs, including MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, and WSe2 nanosheets, were produced using gum arabic and were characterized physicochemically. The developed gum arabic TMD nanosheets exhibited a remarkable photothermal absorption capacity in the near-infrared (NIR) region (808 nm and 1 W⋅cm−2). The drug doxorubicin was loaded on the gum arabic–MoSe2 nanosheets (Dox–G–MoSe2), and the anticancer activity was evaluated using MDA-MB-231 cells and a water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay, live and dead cell assays, and flow cytometry. Dox–G–MoSe2 significantly inhibited MDA-MB-231 cancer cell proliferation under the illumination of an NIR laser at 808 nm. These results indicate that Dox-G-MoSe2 is a potentially valuable biomaterial for breast cancer therapy. [Display omitted] •The liquid exfoliation method was used to prepare transition metal dichalcogenide nanosheets (MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, and WSe2).•Gum arabic was used as the exfoliating and stabilizing agent.•Doxorubicin loaded on gum arabic–MoSe2 nanosheets (Dox–G–MoSe2) exhibited photothermal efficiency.•Dox–G–MoSe2 inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and induced apoptosis.