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Pharmaceutics
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Carbon Nanomaterials in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Exploring Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Anticancer...
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Carbon Nanomaterials in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Exploring Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Anticancer Properties

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanomedicine and Nanotechnology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1953

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Zoran M. Marković

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences—National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: carbon quantum dots; graphene; carbon nanomaterials; photomedicine; photodynamic therapy; antimicrobial; anticancer polymer composites; biosensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon nanomaterials comprise a novel class of materials with unique properties that can provide information about the health of certain cells, tissues, and organs: they accumulate in the target tissue/organ, perform desired and controlled treatments, inform us about the course of treatment, and are finally eliminated from the body without side effects. Multifaceted treatments for infectious diseases or cancer using one or more carbon nanomaterials can provide a platform for personalized medicine, which is a major goal in the 21st century.

Almost 40 years have passed since the discovery of the first carbon nanomaterial, fullerene C60. In the meantime, novel carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, nanodiamonds, graphene, and graphene and carbon quantum dots have been produced. The discoveries of fullerene and graphene led to two Nobel prizes. The unique physical, chemical, and biomedical properties of carbon nanomaterials can be exploited for treatment for a range of diseases. Although carbon nanomaterials have numerous advantages over existing drugs in the treatment of diseases, their application is still at a very low level. The main obstacles to their widespread application are their price, efficiency, and toxicity. Therefore, it is very important to study the biomedical applications of carbon nanomaterials, as well as the mechanisms of direct/indirect interaction between carbon nanomaterials and simple and complex cells and tissues.

This Special Issue aims to focus on antitumor and antimicrobial applications for carbon nanomaterials. Studies focusing on all aspects of these applications are welcome.

For this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles and reviews. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The detection of cancer/infectious disease in the early stage: highly efficient biosensors and biosensing chips;
  • The targeted delivery of carbon nanomaterials to desired locations (cancer/infectious tissue) where treatments will take place;
  • The controlled treatment of cancer/infectious diseases using external or internal triggers: electromagnetic or stationary magnetic fields, pH triggering, and other smart-based solutions;
  • Delivering information on the course of treatment for cancer/infectious diseases;
  • The design of multifunctional/multinanoparticle aggregates (2D, 1D, 0D) for the treatment of cancer/infectious diseases;
  • The design and characterization of polymer/hydrogel composites with carbon nanomaterials for the treatment of cancer/infectious diseases;
  • Renal/nonrenal pathways to eliminate carbon nanomaterials from the body;
  • The toxicity of certain carbon nanomaterial/polymer/hydrogel composites and its effect on the occurrence of cancer/infectious diseases.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Zoran M. Marković
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon nanomaterials
  • polymer and hydrogel composites
  • biosensors
  • antimicrobial applications
  • antitumor applications

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 9603 KiB  
Article
High Carbonyl Graphene Oxide Suppresses Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration by Inducing Ferroptosis via the System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 Axis
by Xiecheng Zhou, Qixing Zhang, Haoran Zhu, Guangxiong Ouyang, Xin Wang and Yuankun Cai
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(12), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16121605 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 509
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a high rate of both incidence and mortality, and its treatment outcomes are often affected by recurrence and drug resistance. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed cell death mechanism triggered by lipid peroxidation, has recently gained attention as [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by a high rate of both incidence and mortality, and its treatment outcomes are often affected by recurrence and drug resistance. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed cell death mechanism triggered by lipid peroxidation, has recently gained attention as a potential therapeutic target. Graphene oxide (GO), known for its oxygen-containing functional groups, biocompatibility, and potential for functionalization, holds promise in cancer treatment. However, its role in ferroptosis induction in CRC remains underexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of High Carbonyl Graphene Oxide (HC-GO) on ferroptosis in CRC and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: In vitro assays were conducted to evaluate the impact of HC-GO on CRC cell proliferation, mitochondrial function, iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 was used to confirm the role of ferroptosis in HC-GO’s anti-tumor effects. In vivo, the anti-tumor activity of HC-GO was assessed in a CRC xenograft model, with organ toxicity evaluated. Results: HC-GO significantly inhibited CRC cell proliferation, induced mitochondrial damage, and enhanced iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and ROS production. It also downregulated the ferroptosis-inhibiting proteins GPX4 and SLC7A11, which were reversed by Fer-1, confirming the involvement of ferroptosis in HC-GO’s anti-cancer effects. In vivo, HC-GO significantly suppressed tumor growth without noticeable toxicity to vital organs. Conclusions: HC-GO triggered ferroptosis in CRC cells by suppressing the System Xc−/GSH/GPX4 pathway, providing a novel therapeutic strategy for CRC treatment. These findings suggest HC-GO as a promising nanomedicine for clinical application, warranting further investigation to explore its potential in CRC therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanomaterials in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Exploring Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Anticancer Properties)
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19 pages, 10301 KiB  
Article
Biocompatible Carbon Dots/Polyurethane Composites as Potential Agents for Combating Bacterial Biofilms: N-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots/Polyurethane and Gamma Ray-Modified Graphene Quantum Dots/Polyurethane Composites
by Zoran Marković, Sladjana Dorontić, Svetlana Jovanović, Janez Kovač, Dušan Milivojević, Dragana Marinković, Marija Mojsin and Biljana Todorović Marković
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(12), 1565; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16121565 - 6 Dec 2024
Viewed by 767
Abstract
Background: Pathogen bacteria appear and survive on various surfaces made of steel or glass. The existence of these bacteria in different forms causes significant problems in healthcare facilities and society. Therefore, the surface engineering of highly potent antimicrobial coatings is highly important in [...] Read more.
Background: Pathogen bacteria appear and survive on various surfaces made of steel or glass. The existence of these bacteria in different forms causes significant problems in healthcare facilities and society. Therefore, the surface engineering of highly potent antimicrobial coatings is highly important in the 21st century, a period that began with a series of epidemics. Methods: In this study, we prepared two types of photodynamic polyurethane-based composite films encapsulated by N-doped carbon quantum dots and graphene quantum dots irradiated by gamma rays at a dose of 50 kGy, respectively. Further, we investigated their structural, optical, antibacterial, antibiofouling and biocompatibility properties. Results: Nanoelectrical and nanomechanical microscopy measurements revealed deviations in the structure of these quantum dots and polyurethane films. The Young’s modulus of elasticity of the carbon and graphene quantum dots was several times lower than that for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with chirality (6,5). The electrical properties of the carbon and graphene quantum dots were quite similar to those of the SWCNTs (6,5). The polyurethane films with carbon quantum dots were much more elastic and smoother than the films with graphene quantum dots. Antibacterial tests indicated excellent antibacterial activities of these films against a wide range of tested bacteria, whereas the antibiofouling activities of both composite films showed the best results against the Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli biofilms. Biocompatibility studies showed that neither composite film exhibited any cytotoxicity or hemolysis. Conclusions: Obtained results indicate that these composite films could be used as antibacterial surfaces in the healthcare facilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanomaterials in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Exploring Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Anticancer Properties)
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