ao8b01366_si_001.pdf (1.35 MB)
Hybrids Based on Graphene Oxide and Porphyrin as Tools for Detection and Stabilization of DNA G‑Quadruplexes
journal contribution
posted on 2018-09-14, 15:34 authored by Ana R. Monteiro, Catarina I. V. Ramos, Sara Fateixa, Nuno M. M. Moura, Maria G. P. M. S. Neves, Tito TrindadeTelomerase inhibition
has been an important strategy in cancer
therapies, but for which effective drugs are still required. Here,
noncovalent hybrid nanoplatforms containing the tetracationic 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-pyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin
(TMPyP) and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared for promoting telomerase
inhibition through the selective detection and stabilization of DNA
guanine-quadruplex (G-Q) structures. Upon binding TMPyP to the GO
sheets, the typical absorption bands of porphyrin have been red-shifted
and the fluorescence emission was quenched. Raman mapping was used
for the first time to provide new insights into the role of the electrostatic
and π–π stacking interactions in the formation
of such hybrids. The selective recovery of fluorescence observed during
the titration of TMPyP@GO with G-Q, resembles a selective “turn-off–on”
fluorescence sensor for the detection of G-Q, paving the way for a
new class of antitumor drugs.