Internalization by Cancer Cell of Multiple Decorated Carbon Nanotubes

Aiming to built a carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based Drug Delivery System we have decorated CNTs with a fluorescent probe and a targeting molecule. The targeting molecule increase the uptake of CNTs by cancer cells and the fluorescent probe allows its observation inside the cells. Concerning the fluorescent probe, we have sinthesized new derivatives of "Bodipy" type molecules, covering a wide section of the visible spectrum. As a selector module, biotin was chosen. The decoration of the nanotubes surface was performed through a covalent approach (3 steps): (1) the CNTs were preliminary functionalized with an azide function, (2) the Bodipy and the biotin derivatives were synthesized bearing an alkyne function, (3) the coupling between the CNT and the alkyne molecules was obtained through a simple "click" reaction. The CNTs were characterized by spectrofluorimetric analysis, and their internalization inside cells was evaluated by confocal microscopies and cytofluorimetric studies. Preliminary data of their cytotoxicity were also collected.