Carbon dots: Applications in bioimaging and theranostics

Boakye‐Yiadom, Kofi Oti; Kesse, Samuel; Opoku‐Damoah, Yaw; Filli, Mensura Sied; Aquib, Md; Joelle, Mily Maviah Bazezy; Farooq, Muhammad Asim; Mavlyanova, Rukhshona; Raza, Faisal; Bavi, Rohit; Wang, Bo

doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2019.04.055

Cited by 214 publications

(118 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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“…A promising tool are quantum dots (QDs) which can be described as objects of the size below 10 nm with unique properties [1][2][3][4]. Since their development, they have been successfully used in optoelectronics [1], food packaging [5], metals detection [6][7][8], bioimaging [9][10][11][12][13][14], photocatalysis [15,16], sensing [17][18][19][20][21][22][23], cell labelling [24], or fluorescent inks and others [25,26]. The first-generation quantum dots are semiconductors of crystalline structure [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smart, Tunable CQDs with Antioxidant Properties for Biomedical Applications—Ecofriendly Synthesis and Characterization

et al. 2020

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Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are nanoobjects of a size below 10 nm. Due to their favorable features, such as tunable luminescence, unique optical properties, water solubility, and lack of cytotoxicity, they are willingly applied in biomedicine. They can be obtained via bottom-up and top-down methods. However, to increase their quantum yield they must undergo post-processing. The aim of the following research was to obtain a new type of CQDs modified with a rhodamine b derivative to enhance their fluorescence performance without biocompability deterioration. For their preparation glucose was used as a precursor and four different carbonizing agents which affected semi-and final products luminescence properties. The ready nanomaterials were investigated over their chemical structure by FTIR and NMR, whereas morphology was investigated by the TEM method. Their optical properties were determined by UV-VIS spectroscopy. Fluorescence behavior, photo-and pH-stability, as well as solvatochromism showed their applicability in various biomedical applications due to the controlled properties. The samples exhibited excellent antioxidant activity and lack of cytotoxicity on L929 mouse fibroblasts. The results showed that proposed strategy enables preparation of the superior nanomaterials with outstanding luminescence properties such as quantum yield up to 17% which can be successfully applied in cell labelling, bioimaging, and theranostics.Molecules 2020, 25, 736 2 of 18 can release cadmium ions leading to cell death. Importantly, it occurred that quantum dots may undergo certain modifications resulting in the change of their surface or chemical structure [27,28]. Finally, their preparation is expensive. Therefore, there was a need for a novel type of quantum dots which would be suitable for biomedical applications. In 2004, a new type of carbon-based materials was accidentally obtained during nanotube purification [29]. Until then, numerous types of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have been obtained with various possible applications due to their very attractive properties, such as luminesce, good water solubility, high photostability, resistance to photobleaching or photoblinking, possibility, chemical inertness and, finally, lack of toxicity and biocompability [1][2][3]. Furthermore, CQDs' region of photoluminescence is very broad, starting in the ultraviolet and ending in the near-infrared. Although, until now, the luminescence behavior of carbon nanodots is still not fully clear, it is believed that crucial role plays two factors, namely, that the quantum size is below 10 nm and surface defects which may act as excitation energy traps. Interestingly, CQDs can successfully act as both electron donors and acceptors [2][3][4].CQDs can be prepared from various resources, such as peels (mango, orange, banana, pineapple, onion, seaweed etc.), meat, grains, nuts, or vegetable by-products, which makes them a low-cost material [30,31]. Currently, these nanomaterials are widely applied in drug delivery, gene delivery, biosensing, bioimag...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Smart, Tunable CQDs with Antioxidant Properties for Biomedical Applications—Ecofriendly Synthesis and Characterization

et al. 2020

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“…CDs are therefore the newest addition to the carbon family. Surface functionalization of CDs allows them to be used for different biomedical purposes, including bio-imaging and drug delivery [49]. Drugs can be conjugated to the CDs through non-covalent bonding utilizing the carboxyl group on CDs or through electrostatic interactions via the functional groups [50,51].…”

Section: Carbon Dotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The size of CDs is less than 10 nm [49,53]. Due to their particularly small size, CDs provide hopes to overcome the challenge of delivering drugs across the BBB for the treatment of neurological diseases.…”

Section: Carbon Dotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances in Nanocarrier-Assisted Therapeutics Delivery Systems

Kang

2020

Pharmaceutics

113

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Nanotechnologies have attracted increasing attention in their application in medicine, especially in the development of new drug delivery systems. With the help of nano-sized carriers, drugs can reach specific diseased areas, prolonging therapeutic efficacy while decreasing undesired side-effects. In addition, recent nanotechnological advances, such as surface stabilization and stimuli-responsive functionalization have also significantly improved the targeting capacity and therapeutic efficacy of the nanocarrier assisted drug delivery system. In this review, we evaluate recent advances in the development of different nanocarriers and their applications in therapeutics delivery.

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“…Although significant advances have been achieved, the preparation of CQDs with a compact particle size distribution, high biocompatibility, and bright luminescence for biolabeling and intravital bioimaging remains a significant challenge. 13 Generally, the CQDs proceeded in the homogeneous liquid phase are difficult to regulate, especially the dimensions of the CQDs due to free space for CQDs formation. The only possible way for uniform CQDs is to optimize the experimental conditions, causing the synthesis method more complicated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%