Stimuli-Responsive Graphene Quantum Dots-Capped Amine-Modified Wheat Cellulose Magnetic Fiber Nanocomposites for Targeted Curcumin Delivery in Breast Cancer

Conventional cancer therapy delivery systems often face challenges, including poor tumor specificity, damage to healthy cells, low drug-loading efficiency, and the inability to track drug localization. In contrast, natural cellulose fiber-based dosage forms have demonstrated enhanced anticancer potential. Therefore, in this study, we developed a stimuli-responsive hybrid cellulose nanocomposite consisting of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) -capped curcumin (CUR) incorporated into amine-functionalized magnetic (Fe₃O₄) wheat cellulose nanofibers (WCNFs) for targeted drug delivery in breast cancer. In brief, the GQDs-CUR@NH₂-MCNFs nanocomposite exhibited a particle size of 429.4 nm and a zeta potential of -25.88 mV, confirming the formation of a stable, nanosized hybrid composite. Thermal and X-ray diffraction analyses revealed the conversion of crystalline ‘CUR’ into an amorphous form. The nanocomposite also demonstrated pH-responsive ‘CUR’ release in the acidic environment of cancer cells and exhibited strong magnetic properties, which may enhance targeted drug delivery and synergistic effects in cancer treatment. The porous nature of WCNFs facilitated the incorporation of CUR and magnetic nanoparticles, while the Wf-GQDs capping provided a platform for surface modification. Here, these properties not only aided in retaining the drug at the target site but also enabled ‘CUR’ release. Additionally, the nanocomposite exhibited fluorescence, which could be useful for bioimaging and tracking. It demonstrated improved anticancer activity against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line (LC₅₀ = 100 µg/mL) compared to individual components, likely due to the combined effects of CUR, Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, WCNFs, and GQDs. The GQDs-CUR@NH₂-MCNFs offer a promising, stimuli-responsive platform for targeted drug delivery with enhanced anticancer efficacy. Future studies should explore the advanced WCNF-based hybrid nanocomposites for anticancer drug delivery applications.