Hyperthermia-induced protein corona improves the therapeutic effects of zinc ferrite spinel-graphene sheets against cancer

Superparamagnetic zinc ferrite spinel-graphene nanostructures were synthesized as potential therapeutic agents in the magnetic targeted photothermal therapy of cancer and/or drug delivery. The global temperature of the solution and the local temperature at the nanoparticle (NP) surface determine the protein corona composition/content, which in turn affects the biological effects of NPs and the corresponding physiological responses. Therefore, it is rational to hypothesize that spinel-graphene nanostructures may have distinct protein corona compositions and contents, and therapeutic and toxic effects under laser irradiation. To assess this hypothesis, the effects of laser irradiation on the competitive binding of proteins to the spinel-graphene surface and the corresponding therapeutic effects of corona-coated spinel-graphene nanomaterials against cancer were evaluated. The results showed that the composition and content of the protein corona adsorbed onto the spinel-graphene nanomaterials was correlated with the local and global heating caused by laser irradiation. Moreover, the corona-coated spinel-graphene nanomaterials obtained following laser irradiation induced a higher intracellular concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and exhibited a significantly higher cellular uptake efficacy compared to that achieved in the absence of laser irradiation (37 degrees C). This finding indicates that the therapeutic effects of graphene-based photothermal therapy against cancer are, in part, related to the composition and content of the protein corona formed under laser irradiation. The results of this study reveal that changes in the composition and content of the protein corona that occur during laser irradiation affect the therapeutic and toxic effects of NPs.