Exploration of the photothermal role of curcumin-loaded targeted carbon nanotubes as a potential therapy for melanoma cancer

Abstract

In this research, the hydrophilic structure of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was modified by synthesizing polycitric acid (PCA) and attaching folic acid (FA) to create MWCNT–PCA–FA. This modified nanocomplex was utilized as a carrier for the lipophilic compound curcumin (Cur). Characterization techniques including TGA, TEM, and UV–visible spectrophotometry were used to analyze the nanocomplex. The mechanism of cancer cell death induced by MWCNT–PCA–FA was studied extensively using the MTT assay, colony formation analysis, cell cycle assessment via flow cytometry, and apoptosis studies. Furthermore, we assessed the antitumor efficacy of these targeted nanocomplexes following exposure to laser radiation. The results showed that the nanocomposites and free Cur had significant toxicity on melanoma cancer cells (B16F10 cells) while having minimal impact on normal cells (NHDF cells). This selectivity for cancerous cells demonstrates the potential of these compounds as therapeutic agents. Furthermore, MWCNT–PCA–FA/Cur showed superior cytotoxicity compared to free Cur alone. Colony formation studies confirmed these results. The researchers found that MWCNT–FA–PCA/Cur effectively induced programmed cell death. In photothermal analysis, MWCNT–PCA–FA/Cur combined with laser treatment achieved the highest mortality rate. These promising results suggest that this multifunctional therapeutic nanoplatform holds the potential for combination cancer therapies that utilize various established therapeutic methods.