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Carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, nanodiamonds, and graphene, have been investigated for various biomedical applications, including biological imaging, photothermal therapy, drug/gene delivery, cancer therapy, biosensors, and electrochemical sensors. Graphene oxide (GO) has unique physicochemical properties and can be used to restore conductivity through oxidation. In this study, we developed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-based nanogel systems containing GO for controlled in vitro drug delivery. The photothermal effects of the PNIPAM/GO- and PNIPAMAAM/GO-based nanogel systems were enhanced. The release of DOX from the PNIPAM/GO-based nanogel was achieved using the photothermal effect of near-infrared irradiation. Using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, the cytotoxicity of all conditions demonstrated that the PNIPAM composite-based nanogels were biocompatible with no significance.

Abstract Recently, nanocarriers, including micelles, polymers, carbon-based materials, liposomes, and other substances, have been developed for efficient delivery of drugs, nucleotides, and biomolecules. This review focuses on graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as active components in nanocarriers, because their chemical structures and easy functionalization can be valuable assets for in vitro and in vivo delivery. Herein, we describe the preparation, structure, and functionalization of GO and rGO. Additionally, their important properties to function as nanocarriers are presented, including their molecular interactions with various compounds, near-infrared light adsorption, and biocompatibility. Subsequently, their mechanisms and the most appealing examples of their delivery applications are summarized. Overall, GO- and rGO-based nanocomposites show great promise as multipurpose nanocarriers owing to their various potential applications in drug and gene delivery, phototherapy, bioimaging, biosensing, tissue engineering, and as antibacterial agents.