Surface-Modified Ceramic Boron Carbide as a Platform for Specific Targeting in Tumour Environments

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a therapeutic approach used to treat malignancies that are difficult to localise and typically inoperable. This therapy involves two stages: the administration of the boron (10B) isotope, which selectively enters cancer cells without affecting healthy tissue, followed by irradiation of the tumour with a neutron beam. In this study, boron carbide (B4C), a ceramic material with exceptional physical and chemical properties, was used as a nanoparticle platform for BNCT. The surface of the boron carbide nanoparticles was optimised by modifying them with compounds such as dextrin, dextran T70, sorbitol, lysine, and arginine. Boron carbide was synthesised directly from boron and carbon and then subjected to grinding, washing, and centrifugation. The unmodified and modified samples were analysed for their particle size, zeta potential, and toxicity against glioblastoma T98G cells. Additionally, FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful surface modifications. The results demonstrate that boron carbide, as a ceramic material, can be effectively functionalised with biocompatible compounds. Among the tested modifications, B4C-dextrin and B4C-dextran T70 exhibited the highest toxicity towards cancer cells, demonstrating the potential of ceramic platforms in biomedical applications.