Development and Characterization of Graphene Oxide-Locust Bean Gum-Zinc Oxide (GO-LBG-ZnO) Nanohybrid as an Efficient and Novel Antitumor Agent against Hepatocarcinoma Cells

The main goal of this study was to introduce a nanohybrid based on graphene oxide and zinc oxide with strong antitumor activity for the treatment of hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocarcinoma. In this regard, the nanohybrid was fabricated through the first attachment of locust bean gum chains on the graphene oxide surface and subsequently zinc oxide nanoparticles decorated on the surface of graphene oxide-locust bean gum nanosheets. Then, the prepared ternary nanohybrid was assessed in terms of physicochemical and microstructural characteristics, cytotoxicity, and antitumor activity. Our primary results indicated the successful fabrication of nanohybrids. The results of toxicity assays showed that the prepared nanohybrid represented higher cytotoxicity on the cancer cell line compared to the normal cells. Antitumor activity results demonstrated that the synthesized nanohybrid can superiorly decline viral and cellular oncogenes and induce cell apoptosis in liver cancer cells. In conclusion, the fabricated nanohybrid demonstrated strong antitumor activity against hepatocarcinoma cells, which can be considered a promising candidate for the treatment of hepatocarcinoma.