Magnetic and Photocatalytic Curcumin Bound Carbon Nitride Nanohybrids for Enhanced Glioma Cell Death.

A mesoporous magnetic nanohybrid functionalized with 14 wt % carbon nitride (CN) and loaded with curcumin (Cur) has been developed as a combination platform for photodynamic therapy and magnetic hyperthermia. CN-Cur complexes on the nanoparticle surface facilitate fast charge separation of hole-electron pairs under blue LED light irradiation and subsequent singlet oxygen generation. Cur release from the nanoparticle was significant only when exposed to both lysosomal pH (pH = 5.2) and an alternating current magnetic field (AMF). The mesoporous magnetic carbon nitride (MMCN) caused a 350% increase in the level of intracellular ROS as compared to the light exposed untreated control group. The nanohybrid was non-hemolytic and found to be biocompatible with HUVEC cells at concentrations up to 360 μg/mL. A similar concentration under AMF exposure caused a localized temperature rise of 4.2 °C and resulted in a 60% reduction in C6 cell viability. The cancer cell death further increased up to 80% under sequential exposure to light and AMF. The combinatorial treatment exerted significant cytoskeletal and nuclear damage in the cancer cells as assessed by confocal microscopy. The nanohybrid also exhibited relaxivity of 88 mM-1 s-1, imparting significant T2 weighted contrast to the cancer cells.