Glyco-functionalized cellulose nanocrystal: a green approach for enhanced targeted therapy in cancer cells

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Lorestan University

10.22091/jaem.2026.16521.1051

Abstract

The development of specialized DDSs utilizing carbohydrate-coated nanoparticles for the precise administration of drugs to cancer cells is a fascinating area within biomedical field. This research explores how the carbohydrate modification of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) can enhance targeted drug delivery approaches, particularly in the context of treating breast cancer. For this purpose, CNCs were first prepared by acidic hydrolysis of cellulose linters, then amined to enhance their surface properties, and finally functionalized by reductive amination reaction with glucose and mannose. The modified CNCs were characterized using FT-IR, DLS, and XRD techniques. Next, the molecular recognition potential between carbohydrate moieties on CNCs and specific proteins on the surfaces of cancer cells was investigated to facilitate targeted drug delivery. In addition, methylene blue, a photosensitizer, was loaded onto the modified CNCs, and the loading conditions were optimized for maximum efficiency. The cytotoxic effects of CNCs, both alone and in the presence of photosensitizer, on breast cancer cells were evaluated using the MTT assay. The results showed that the percentage of viable cells was reduced to 60% and 63% for the treatment of CNCs functionalized with mannose and glucose, respectively. Also, the addition of MB as a photosensitizer reduced the cell viability to 52% and 50% for CNCs functionalized with mannose and glucose, respectively. The findings indicate that functionalized CNCs can act as effective carriers for targeted drug delivery and offer a promising approach to enhance therapeutic outcomes in cancer treatment.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Advances in Energy and Materials Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 August 2026

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics