Folic acid-modified photoluminescent dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose crosslinked bionanogels for pH-controlled and tumor-targeted co-drug delivery.

This work aimed to fabricate a new photoluminescent bionanogel with both targeted anticancer drug delivery and bioimaging potentials. Briefly, at first photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized from the low-cost and more available black pepper with traditional medicinal properties. The as-synthesized dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) was used as a safe crosslinker for gelatin crosslinking in the presence of CDs (CDs/DCMC-Gel). Eventually, the residual amine functional groups of gelatin were used for the conjugation of CDs/DCMC-Gel with folic acid (FA) ((CDs/DCMC-Gel)-FA bionanogels). All employed physicochemical characterization methods approved the (CDs/DCMC-Gel)-FA bionanogels fabrication route. SEM analysis specified the spherical morphology with a diameter of ~70-90 nm for it. Curcumin (CUR) and doxorubicin (DOX) respectively were loaded with drug entrapment efficiency of about 44.0% and 41.4%. The release rate for both drugs in acidic conditions was higher than in physiological conditions. In vitro antitumor experiments; MTT, DAPI staining, cellular uptake, and cell cycle tests showed the superior anticancer effect of the CUR@DOX@(CDs/DCMC-Gel)-FA in comparison with free CUR@DOX. Moreover, the (CDs/DCMC-Gel)-FA acted as a hopeful bio-imaging tool. Taken together, the designed (CDs/DCMC-Gel)-FA could be proposed as a promising nanosystem for efficient chemotherapy.