Flake Graphene-Based Nanomaterial Approach for Triggering a Ferroptosis as an Attractive Theranostic Outlook for Tackling Non-Small Lung Cancer: A Mini Review

Abstract

Lung cancer is a highly aggressive neoplasm that is now a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. One of the major approaches for killing cancer cells is related with activation of apoptotic cell death with anti-cancer drugs. However, the efficiency of apoptosis induction in tumors is limited. Consequently, the development of other forms of non-apoptotic cell death is up to date challenge for scientists worldwide. This situation motivated us to define the aim of this mini-review: gathering knowledge regarding ferroptosis-newly defined programmed cell death process characterized by the excessive accumulation of iron-and combining it with yet another interesting nanomaterial-based graphene approach. In this manuscript, we presented brief information about non-small lung cancer and ferroptosis, followed by a section depicting the key-features of graphene-based nanomaterials influencing their biologically relevant properties.

Keywords: ferroptosis; flake graphene; graphene oxide; nanomaterials; non-small lung cancer.

Figure 1

Ferroptosis as a factor triggering failure of multiple organs. Composed with BioRender [21].

Figure 2

A scheme of clathrin-mediated graphene endocytosis. Composed with BioRender [21].

Figure 3

Different factors affecting cell-nanomaterial interaction. Composed with BioRender [21].

Figure 4

Representative atomic force microscopy images of GO nano- (A) and micrometric (B) flakes along with RGO flakes (C,D). Images (E,G) present water contact angle results acquired for hydrophilic GO and hydrophobic RGO followed by optical images of GO (F) and RGO (H) powder. Image composed with Authors’ own and previously not published data.