PEI modified orange emissive carbon dots with excitation-independent fluorescence emission for cellular imaging and siRNA delivery. (15th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Rui; Wei, Fangdi; Wu, Xueqing; Zhou, Ping; Chen, Qiutong; Cen, Yao; Xu, Guanhong; Cheng, Xia; Zhang, Aixia; Hu, Qin
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 177(2021)
• Page Start: 403
• Page End: 411
• Publication Date: 2021-06-15
• Subjects: PEI-modified carbon dots -- Long wavelength emission -- Excitation-independent emission -- Bioimaging -- siRNA delivery -- Glioblastoma treatment; Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.02.069
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: Although carbon dots (CDs) as a promising fluorescent nanomaterial have been studied for nearly twenty years, excitation-independent long wavelength emission CDs are rarely reported and are highly desirable for biomedical applications. Herein, we show that the excitation-independent, bright-orange-emissive, polyethylenimine-modified CDs (PEI-CDs) can be easily obtained by using 1, 2, 4-triaminobenzene and PEI as precursors through a simple hydrothermal method. PEI-CDs prepared under our experimental conditions are low-toxic and safe, and their cellular uptake can be observed via the red fluorescence of PEI-CDs appearing inside cells. Furthermore, PEI-CDs are able to bind spontaneously small interfering RNA (siRNA) to form the nano-complexes by electrostatic attraction. The PEI-CDs-siRNA complexes can effectively deliver the specific siRNA targeting hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) into human glioblastoma cells, and therefore downregulate the expression of HDGF, which is considered as a potential target for glioblastoma treatment. Thus, the excitation-independent long wavelength emission PEI-CDs may constitute a new siRNA delivery carrier with imaging-trackable ability. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Excitation-independent, bright-orange-emissive PEI-CDs are obtained. An improved dialysis-precipitation method is used for purification of PEI-CDs. PEI-CDs can bind siRNA to form the nano-complexes by electrostatic attraction. PEI-CDs-siRNA complexes can deliver siHDGF into human glioblastoma cells. PEI-CDs are a new siRNA delivery carrier with imaging-trackable ability.