Bimetallic Au–Pd nanoparticles/RGO as theranostic nanoplatform for photothermal therapy of throat cancer - an in vitro approach

The current work showed the fabrication of bimetallic Au–Pd-NPs on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets functionalized with plant polyphenols of Ziziphus ziziphus leaf extract for enhanced aqueous dispersibility using a simple green method. The synthesized Au–Pd/RGO nanocomposite was effectively employed for the in-vitro photothermal killing of HNE-1 cells. Applying the 808 nm laser (1 W cm−2) and maintaining the concentration of Au–Pd/RGO at 75 μg mL−1, the solution temperature was brought to 58 °C, which is adequate for the eradication of cancer cells. Later, the solution temperature was brought to 80 °C by increasing the concentrations to 90 μg mL−1. Ultimately, the near total photoablation (≈97%) of HNE-1 cells was obtained by maintaining the concentration of Au–Pd–RGO nanocomposites at ≈20 μg mL−1, a laser power of 1 W cm−1 and a LC50 value of 7 μg mL−1. This exceptional efficiency was attributed mostly to the synergistic effect of Au–Pd NPs, and RGO. The current study might lead the way for the synthesis of advanced materials that could be used as prospective photothermal candidates for the ablation of various unregulated cells.