Défense de thèse de doctorat en sciences chimiques : "cancer theranostics"

« Functionalized Fe-filled Carbon Nanotubes for Cancer Theranostics »

Jury

Tatiana DA ROS (Univ. Trieste), Jean-Marie RAQUEZ (UMons), Carine MICHIELS, présidente (UNamur), Stéphane VINCENT (UNamur), Davide BONIFAZI, promoteur (UNamur)

Résumé

Cancer nanotechnology encompasses the exploitation of the properties of nanoparticules (NPs) for the diagnosis and the treatment (gathered in the term “theranostics”) of cancer. Amid those NPs, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) both emerged as very potent theranostics agents. The combination of these two types of NPs affords hybrids with properties coming from both components but also from a synergy between MNPs and CNTs. In this respect, the aim of this thesis was the evaluation of functionalized Fe@CNTs hybrids for cancer theranostics applications. Fe MNPs were confined inside the endohedral cavity of CNTs while specific functionalities were appended to these materials by covalent and non-covalent modifications of the exohedral graphitic surface. In particular, conjugation of Fe@CNTs with antibodies targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpressed in A431 cancer cells allowed a selective targeting, magnetic shepherding and killing by magnetic fluid hyperthermia of EGFR+ A431 cells over control EGFR- cells, as shown by in-vitro experiments. Furthermore, new complementary H-bonded PEGylated monomers were synthesized in order to increase the dispersion of Fe@CNTs inside aqueous solutions. These monomers are able to self-assemble at room temperature into supramolecular polymers wrapped around CNTs and to disassemble and detach from surfaces of CNTs upon conventional or magnetic fluid heating. Finally, this supramolecular polymer was used to solubilize antibody-conjugated Fe@CNTs. These hybrids were administered to mice bearing A431 tumour xenographs in order to assess their biodistribution profile by magnetic resonance imaging and a new ex-vivo spectrometric method.

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