Carbon‐Dot‐Based Two‐Photon Visible Nanocarriers for Safe and Highly Efficient Delivery of siRNA and DNA

Abstract

The emergence of photoluminescent carbon-based nanomaterials offers great potential for a wide variety of biomedical applications such as fluorescence imaging and cellular labeling. This report illustrates a novel photonic carbon dot (Cdots) based nanocarrier by using low molecular weight amphiphilic PEI (Alkyl-PEI2k) for surface passivation. The resulting water-dispersible Alkyl-PEI2k-Cdot nanocarrier possesses good stability, monodispersity with narrow size distribution and fluorescence properties. In addition, Alkyl-PEI2k-Cdot nanocarrier has a markedly low toxicity and good gene transfection effect in vitro and in vivo. Considering its low cytotoxicity, high gene delivery efficiency and fluorescence performance, Alkyl-PEI2k-Cdots could serve as a novel imaging-trackable gene-delivery nanocarrier promising for gene therapy and optical molecular imaging.

Multifunctional WS2@Poly(ethylene imine) Nanoplatforms for Imaging Guided Gene‐Photothermal Synergistic Therapy of Cancer

“…The weight ratio is 1:5 of siRNA/heparin. In order to value the protection of siRNA by WS 2 @PEI nanoparticles, 2 μL of RNase (1 μg μL −1 ) was applied to digest 1 μg of siRNA formulated with WS 2 @PEI nanoparticles at 37 °C for 1 h. The loading efficiency and release behavior of WS 2 @PEI‐siRNA, as well as protection of siRNA by WS 2 @PEI were determined by 1% agarose electrophoresis at 120 V for 20 min …”

Theranostic small interfering RNA nanoparticles in cancer precision nanomedicine

“…Without siRNA, the cell viability did not change, but with siRNA nanomedicine the growth of cancer cells and tumors was significantly reduced (Wu et al, ). Low‐molecular‐weight PEI coated fluorescence CDs were used to deliver siRNA with two‐photon CD imaging guidance in vitro and in vivo (L. Q. Wang et al, ). Amphiphilic CDs were synthesized by conjugating alkyl epoxide to PEI 600‐derived CDs for water and organic solvent solubility with high fluorescence emission.…”

Imaging-guided delivery of RNAi for anticancer treatment

“…Compared to QDs, the C-dots show advantages of better biocompatibility, lower cost and easier preparation and are considered as a potential alternative to QDs [117]. The C-dots surface coated with alkyl–PEI2k could effectively deliver siRNA and transfect against firefly luciferase (fLuc) with inhibited expression of luciferase gene in 4T1-luc cells, while maintaining their biocompatibility and fluorescence properties [118]. The UCNPs have gained increasing attention in recent years as a new generation of biological luminescent nanoprobes for cell labeling and optical imaging.…”