Engineered riboflavin–cerium oxide nanoparticles for enhanced phototoxicity toward triple-negative breast cancer cells

        Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO₂ NPs) are tiny materials that can react with oxygen in the body and are being studied for medical applications. In this study, researchers attached riboflavin (vitamin B2) to the surface of these nanoparticles to help them enter cells more easily and to make them respond to light. The modified nanoparticles, called Rf–CeO₂ NPs, were tested in the lab and found to be safe for cells in the dark. However, when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, they became much more effective in causing toxicity to triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, a hard-to-treat type of breast cancer.

        This effect occurs because riboflavin becomes active under UV light, altering how the particles produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can damage cancer cells. These results suggest that Rf–CeO₂ NPs could be developed into a new light-activated treatment that targets cancer cells more precisely and reduces harm to normal cells.