Cell Nucleus-Targeting Zwitterionic Carbon Dots

Abstract

An innovative nucleus-targeting zwitterionic carbon dot (CD) vehicle has been developed for anticancer drug delivery and optical monitoring. The zwitterionic functional groups of the CDs introduced by a simple one-step synthesis using β-alanine as a passivating and zwitterionic ligand allow cytoplasmic uptake and subsequent nuclear translocation of the CDs. Moreover, multicolor fluorescence improves the accuracy of the CDs as an optical code. The CD-based drug delivery system constructed by non-covalent grafting of doxorubicin, exhibits superior antitumor efficacy owing to enhanced nuclear delivery in vitro and tumor accumulation in vivo, resulting in highly effective tumor growth inhibition. Since the zwitterionic CDs are highly biocompatible and effectively translocated into the nucleus, it provides a compelling solution to a multifunctional nanoparticle for substantially enhanced nuclear uptake of drugs and optical monitoring of translocation.

pH/Redox‐Triggered Photothermal Treatment for Cancer Therapy Based on a Dual‐Responsive Cationic Polymer Dot

“…In the present study, a material capable of releasing ICG sensitively in response to GSH and acid pH levels in the cancer environment was synthesized . Therefore, confocal microscopy was performed to determine the apparent internalization behavior of ICG‐CD in MDAMB cells.…”

“…The particle size, surface modification, hydrophobicity, and surface charge of the suggested nanocarriers should be taken into consideration, as they can create defective areas in the entire outer membrane cell and influence their passage across the cell membrane . In general, surface charges facilitate an efficient cellular uptake mechanism, wherein cationic nanocarriers are much more easily internalized by cells than negatively charged and most inert, uncharged nanocarriers, and this results in facile endocytosis . In recent years, cationic nanoparticles have been extensively used to enhance permeability, retention, and cellular uptake; however, these nanoparticles require a complicated synthesis process and a sophisticated delivery strategy, and furthermore, they are not able to act as fluorescent agents for tracking the individual drug‐delivery events .…”

Improving the functionality of carbon nanodots: doping and surface functionalization

“…In vivo bioimaging and biosensing based on functionalized C-dots was investigated by various researchers. 10,14,16,22,23,25,167,168,176,178,188,[198][199][200][201][202][203][204][205][206][207][208][209][210] The first work on C-dots for bioimaging applications was reported by the Sun group. 167 In this paper, the authors synthesized PEG 1500Npassivated C-dots via laser ablation and passivation.…”

Graphene quantum dot based charge‐reversal nanomaterial for nucleus‐targeted drug delivery and efficiency controllable photodynamic therapy

“…In contrast, once in the acidic tumor microenvironment, a positively charged drug carrier shows increased capacity to be internalized by tumor cells via the negative surface of cell membrane . Thus, a charge‐reversal polymer can improve the selectivity toward the target nucleus and increase the accumulation of delivered drug in cell nuclei . 3‐(Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) is a biocompatible charge‐reversal agent that has attracted much attention because it can be easily grafted onto the target substrate under mild reaction conditions .…”