Targeting B Lymphocytes Using Protein-Functionalized Graphene Oxide

The high surface area and the possibility of surface functionalization associated with a high biocompatibility endow graphene oxide with a great potential for biomedical applications. Although this material has been widely investigated for cancer therapy, it has been scarcely used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Herein, graphene oxide-lysozyme stable conjugates are prepared by a straightforward noncovalent functionalization approach. The complexes are able to selectively target a B lymphocyte cell model, which expresses a lysozyme-specific B cell receptor. The results suggest the use of graphene oxide as a promising nanocarrier for the targeted therapy of B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, allowing overcoming the severe inconveniences associated with available B-cell-targeted therapies.