Abstract
Abstract
Background
Despite novel advances in screening, targeting and immunotherapies, early diagnosis and satisfactory treatments against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain formidable challenges. Given the unique advantages, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) become a smart theranostic nanomaterial for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Results
In this work, a type of bio-friendly CQDs, trichrome-tryptophan-sorbitol CQDs (TC-WS-CQDs), is synthesized from natural biocompatible tryptophan via the one-pot hydrothermal method. Compared with normal hepatocytes, a much stronger green fluorescence is detected in HCC cells, indicating the ability of TC-WS-CQDs to target HCC cells. Furthermore, green-emitting TC-WS-CQDs generate large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to autophagy of HCC cells. Additionally, the green-emitting TC-WS-CQDs perform significant tumor inhibition by inducing autophagy via p53-AMPK pathway in vitro and in vivo studies with almost no systemic toxicity.
Conclusions
The results may highlight a promising anticancer nanotheranostic strategy with integration of diagnosis, targeting, and therapy.
Graphical Abstract
Funder
Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province
Innovation-Driven Project of Central South University
Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities of the Southwest University
Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Pharmaceutical Science,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology,Biomedical Engineering,Molecular Medicine,Medicine (miscellaneous),Bioengineering
Cited by
19 articles.
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