Duplex metal co-doped carbon quantum dots-based drug delivery system with intelligent adjustable size as adjuvant for synergistic cancer therapy

• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.07.063
• Publication Date: 2021-07-27T06:32:27Z
• Authors: Chuyi Han; Xianming Zhang; Fan Wang; Qinghua Yu; Feng Chen; Di Shen; Zhangyou Yang; Tingting Wang; Mingyue Jiang; Tao Deng; Chao Yu
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 3. Good health

Abstract Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are extensively applied for bioimaging due to their unique photoluminescence properties, while less attention has been paid to their inherent bio-functions as targeted drug delivery vehicles. To address this limitation, a novel CQDs-based drug delivery system (Arg-Ag@Cu) was constructed using l -arginine as precursor with duplex metal co-doping (Ag&Cu) for further DOX-loading/releasing and synergistic tumor theranostics. Specifically, the functional residues retention ability of CQDs guaranteed the reactive nitrogen species (RNS) replenishment, Ag-doping enhanced the photoluminescence intensity, and Cu2+-functionalizing could act as the anchor for further interparticle self-assembly, resulting in intelligent adjustable CQDs size for increasing the drug-loading capacity. After reaching targeted sites, CQDs could act as NO/ONOO− donors for gas-involving therapy, and Cu2+ could not only generate ROS through chemodynamic therapy (CDT), but also modulate the band structure of as-prepared CQDs for laser-induced photodynamic therapy (PDT) to further replenishing ROS. Simultaneously, with Cu2+ depletion, the structure of Arg-Ag@Cu was disrupted, which guaranteed in situ DOX-releasing. As such, these orchestrated procedures fully exerted the intrinsic bio-functions of CQDs then act as adjuvants in drug delivery systems, thus representing synergistic effects in suppressing tumor progression and migration with minimal side effects, and provides a paradigm of potent CQDs-based nanotheranostics.