Donoso, OrlandoRiveros, AnaMarco, JoséVenegas, DiegoParedes, VerónicaOlguín, CamilaMayorga, CristinaLobos, LorenaFranco, FelipeWang, JosephKogan, MarceloBollo, SoledadYañez, ClaudiaBáez, Daniela2024-07-292024-07-292024Donoso-González O, Riveros AL, Marco JF, Venegas-Yazigi D, Paredes-García V, Olguín CF, Mayorga-Lobos C, Lobos-González L, Franco-Campos F, Wang J, Kogan MJ, Bollo S, Yañez C, Báez DF. Iron-Reduced Graphene Oxide Core-Shell Micromotors Designed for Magnetic Guidance and Photothermal Therapy under Second Near-Infrared Light. Pharmaceutics. 2024 Jun 25;16(7):856. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070856.https://hdl.handle.net/11447/9211Core-shell micro/nanomotors have garnered significant interest in biomedicine owing to their versatile task-performing capabilities. However, their effectiveness for photothermal therapy (PTT) still faces challenges because of their poor tumor accumulation, lower light-to-heat conversion, and due to the limited penetration of near-infrared (NIR) light. In this study, we present a novel core-shell micromotor that combines magnetic and photothermal properties. It is synthesized via the template-assisted electrodeposition of iron (Fe) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on a microtubular pore-shaped membrane. The resulting Fe-rGO micromotor consists of a core of oval-shaped zero-valent iron nanoparticles with large magnetization. At the same time, the outer layer has a uniform reduced graphene oxide (rGO) topography. Combined, these Fe-rGO core-shell micromotors respond to magnetic forces and near-infrared (NIR) light (1064 nm), achieving a remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency of 78% at a concentration of 434 µg mL-1. They can also carry doxorubicin (DOX) and rapidly release it upon NIR irradiation. Additionally, preliminary results regarding the biocompatibility of these micromotors through in vitro tests on a 3D breast cancer model demonstrate low cytotoxicity and strong accumulation. These promising results suggest that such Fe-rGO core-shell micromotors could hold great potential for combined photothermal therapy.enCancerCore–shell micromotorsMagnetic guidancePhotothermal effectPhotothermal therapyReduced graphene oxideArticlehttps://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16070856