Gelatin-Monosaccharide Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: Cytotoxicity and Cellular Uptake in MCF-7 Cells

Abstract

This study aims to develop a tripartite hybrid material composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), gelatin (gel), and a monosaccharide (2-glucosyloxyethyl methacrylate, GEMA) to achieve a synergistic interaction that integrates structural integrity and biological safety. The primary objective is to evaluate the potential in vitro cytotoxicity of these synthesized materials against the MCF7 breast cancer cell line, facilitating the development of safe bionanodevices for clinical applications. We prepare and characterize MWCNTs that have been functionalized with GEMA and coated with gel for the study. The cytotoxicity was carried out using breast carcinoma (MCF7) cell line via sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay. This work also studied the effect of the functionalized MWCNTs on their physicochemical properties using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM and TEM). The results showed that gelatin was successfully reacted with GEMA via their amino groups using Michael addition reaction. Besides, the functionalized MWCNTs exhibited low cytotoxic effects in comparison with the standard Doxorubicin^®. These results suggest that gelatin-monosaccharide functionalized MWCNTs serve as a promising, low-toxicity platform for targeted drug delivery and imaging.