An optical sensing platform for the detection of anti-cancer drugs and their cytotoxicity screening using a highly selective phosphorene-based composite

Monitoring therapeutic drugs and their elimination is crucial because they may cause severe side effects on the human body. Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used anti-cancer drug, which is highly expensive, and the detection of unwanted overdoses of MTX using traditional procedures is time-consuming and involves complex instrumentation. In this work, we have developed a nanocomposite material using phosphorene, cystine, and gold (Ph-Cys-Au) that shows excellent optical properties. This nanocomposite can be used as an optical sensing platform for the detection of MTX in the range 0-260 mu M. The synthesized sensing platform is very sensitive, selective, and cost-effective for the detection of MTX. Ph-Cys-Au can effectively detect MTX in aqueous media with a limit of detection (LOD) of about 0.0266 nM (for a linear range of 0-140 mu M) and 0.0077 nM (for a linear range of 160-260 mu M). The nanocomposite is equally selective for real samples, such as human blood serum (HBS) and artificial urine (AU) with a LOD of 0.0914 nM and 0.0734 nM, respectively. We have also determined the limit of quantification (LOQ); the LOQ values for the aqueous media were 0.0807 nM (for a linear range of 0-140 mu M) and 0.0234 nM (for a linear range of 160-260 mu M), whereas, the values for HBS and AU were around 0.2771 nM and 0.2226 nM, respectively. Moreover, the nanocomposite also provides a feasible platform for cytotoxicity screening in cancerous cells (Caco-2 cell lines) and non-cancerous cells (L-929 cell lines). In this work, we have developed a sensing platform using phosphorene-based fluorescent material Ph-Cys-Au for the detection and cytotoxicity screening of the anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX) in both aqueous media and real samples.

Automated summary

In this study, a nanocomposite material (Ph-Cys-Au) consisting of phosphorene, cystine, and gold was developed as an optical sensing platform for the detection of the anti-cancer drug methotrexate (MTX). The nanocomposite showed high sensitivity, selectivity, and cost-effectiveness in detecting MTX in aqueous media and real samples. Additionally, it also provided a feasible platform for cytotoxicity screening in cancerous and non-cancerous cells.