Development of Tunable Rose Bengal-Based nanoGUMBOS as Potential Selective Chemotherapeutic Agents
Faculty Mentor
Rocio Perez
Location
Russell Union Room 2047
Type of Research
Published
Session Format
Oral Presentation
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Department
Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Physics
Abstract
As cancer remains one of the greatest threats to the global population, the development of chemotherapeutic agents that are selective and tunable is of critical importance. Herein, a series of Rose Bengal (RB)-based GUMBOS, a group of uniform materials based on organic salts, was synthesized via counterion exchange between [Na]2[RB] and three organic cations: tetrabutylphosphonium bromide [TBP][Br], tetraphenylphosphonium chloride [TPP][Cl], and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C12MIm][Cl]. The resulting GUMBOS were characterized through FT-IR, ESI-MS, NMR, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Partition coefficient studies indicated that all GUMBOS exhibited hydrophobic physicochemical characteristics. These hydrophobic RB-based GUMBOS were formed into nanoparticles via the reprecipitation method and exhibited average diameter sizes below 85 nm with moderately negative ζ-potentials all below −30 mV. Permeability through biological membranes was assessed by an in vitro PAMPA, revealing enhanced passive diffusion at 10 μM solutions. The cytotoxic activity of the nanoparticles was assessed in A549 lung carcinoma cells as well as noncancerous HEK239 human embryonic kidney cells. The A549 cell line exhibited mainly apoptotic characteristics, with a lower average cell viability of 22.6% from treatment with [C12MIm]2[RB] nanoGUMBOS. Moreover, the HEK239 cells exhibited a higher viability of 47.1% with the same treatment. The IC50 of the [C12MIm]2[RB] nanoGUMBOS treatment on cancerous cells was 2.16 μM, with a selectivity index of 2.1. These findings demonstrate the novelty of RB-based nanoGUMBOS as tunable and selective chemotherapeutic agents.
Program Description
.
Start Date
4-23-2026 3:45 PM
End Date
4-23-2026 4:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Russell, William A., "Development of Tunable Rose Bengal-Based nanoGUMBOS as Potential Selective Chemotherapeutic Agents" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 261.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/261
Development of Tunable Rose Bengal-Based nanoGUMBOS as Potential Selective Chemotherapeutic Agents
Russell Union Room 2047
As cancer remains one of the greatest threats to the global population, the development of chemotherapeutic agents that are selective and tunable is of critical importance. Herein, a series of Rose Bengal (RB)-based GUMBOS, a group of uniform materials based on organic salts, was synthesized via counterion exchange between [Na]2[RB] and three organic cations: tetrabutylphosphonium bromide [TBP][Br], tetraphenylphosphonium chloride [TPP][Cl], and 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C12MIm][Cl]. The resulting GUMBOS were characterized through FT-IR, ESI-MS, NMR, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Partition coefficient studies indicated that all GUMBOS exhibited hydrophobic physicochemical characteristics. These hydrophobic RB-based GUMBOS were formed into nanoparticles via the reprecipitation method and exhibited average diameter sizes below 85 nm with moderately negative ζ-potentials all below −30 mV. Permeability through biological membranes was assessed by an in vitro PAMPA, revealing enhanced passive diffusion at 10 μM solutions. The cytotoxic activity of the nanoparticles was assessed in A549 lung carcinoma cells as well as noncancerous HEK239 human embryonic kidney cells. The A549 cell line exhibited mainly apoptotic characteristics, with a lower average cell viability of 22.6% from treatment with [C12MIm]2[RB] nanoGUMBOS. Moreover, the HEK239 cells exhibited a higher viability of 47.1% with the same treatment. The IC50 of the [C12MIm]2[RB] nanoGUMBOS treatment on cancerous cells was 2.16 μM, with a selectivity index of 2.1. These findings demonstrate the novelty of RB-based nanoGUMBOS as tunable and selective chemotherapeutic agents.
