How are specific areas targeted?

• To target specific areas, fullerenes are mobilised to affect specific cancer pathways, and work in an almost cascade effect. Tumour growth and spread is often encouraged by interactions between cancer cells and stem cells (MSCs). C₆₀(OH)₂₂ nanoparticles block these harmful interactions, reducing tumour growth and metastasis. The nanoparticles affect a signalling pathway, which controls cell growth and response to stress. In malignant stem cells, cancer causing pathways are influenced, while in normal MSCs, only benign pathways are affected. This highlights how the fullerenes prevent the growth of the malignant cells.

What other effects do they have on malignant cells?

• They also work by blocking the cell transitions , which eliminates breast cancer stem cells and prevents tumour growth and spread. In normal O₂ concentration, the nanoparticle blocks signalling to stop tumour proliferation. In hypoxic O₂ concentrations, it is more readily absorbed by tumour cells, further inhibiting malignant cell activities, leading to increased cancer stem cell destruction.
• Many examples found have related back to general cancer cells, and also breast cancer, which comes up most frequently. Generally, this treatment can be used to target cancer stem cells, inhibit angiogenesis and carry out therapy of damaged cells from the cancer, showing how they not only prevent and treat cancer but also help post disease.

References

Fernandes N.B., Shenoy R.U.K., Kajampady M.K., DCruz C.E.M., Shirodkar R.K., Kumar L. and Verma R., 2022. Fullerenes for the treatment of cancer: an emerging tool. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(39), pp.58607–58627. Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9399030/ (Accessed 17 March 2025).

Li, K., Liu, W., Ni, Y., Li, D., Lin, D., Su, Z. and Wei, G., 2017. Technical synthesis and biomedical applications of graphene quantum dots. Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 5(25), pp.4811–4826. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32263997/ (Accessed 17 March 2025).

Liu, Y., Jiao, F., Qiu, Y., Li, W., Lao, F., Zhou, G., Sun, B., Xing, G., Dong, J., Zhao, Y., Chai, Z. and Chen, C., 2009. The effect of Gd@C82(OH)22 nanoparticles on the release of Th1/Th2 cytokines and induction of TNF-alpha mediated cellular immunity. Biomaterials, 30(23-24), pp.3934–3945. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19403166/ (Accessed 17 March 2025).

Nielsen, G.D., Roursgaard, M., Jensen, K.A., Poulsen, S.S. and Larsen, S.T., 2008. In vivo biology and toxicology of fullerenes and their derivatives. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 103(3), pp.197–208. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18684229/ (Accessed 17 March 2025).