Porphyrin–Carbon Nanosheet-Based Therapeutic Platform against Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Bacterial Infection

The development of multifunctional nanomaterials capable of combating pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal malignancies characterized by poor therapeutic responsiveness and heightened infection risk, is a significant scientific advancement. To overcome this challenge, we present a porphyrin-functionalized carbon nanosheet-based platform (Por-CNS), synthesized through a low-temperature hydrothermal functionalization of porphyrin on nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets (CNS). CNS were synthesized from glycerol and sulfuric acid using melamine (CNSm) and cyanuric acid (CNSc) as dopants. The integration of porphyrin molecules onto nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets endows the hybrid with enhanced photophysical behavior, high biocompatibility, and efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Comprehensive in vitro investigations revealed that Por-CNSc exhibits potent antiproliferative activity against pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1), achieving a significantly lower IC50 (∼31.25 μg mL–1) than Por-CNSm (∼62.50 μg mL–1) while maintaining excellent safety toward normal hTERT-HPNE pancreatic cells. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that Por-CNSc induces G2/M cell-cycle arrest and elevates the sub-G1 population, consistent with ROS-mediated apoptosis. Complementary qRT-PCR results confirmed activation of the p21–BAX regulatory axis, evidenced by increased expression of TP21 and BAX alongside downregulation of CCND1, CDK4, and BCL2. Addressing the frequent occurrence of bacterial infections in pancreatic cancer patients, Por-CNSc additionally showed robust broad-spectrum antibacterial performance driven by ROS-induced membrane disruption, producing inhibition zones of ∼29 mm against Staphylococcus aureus and ∼21 mm against Escherichia coli. Collectively, these findings establish Por-CNSc as a promising therapeutic nanoplatform capable of simultaneously addressing pancreatic cancer cell progression and mitigating infection-related complications, underscoring its strong potential for next-generation pancreatic cancer management.