Target Functionalized Carbon Dot Nanozymes with Dual-Model Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Imaging for Visual Therapy in Atherosclerosis.

ABSTRACT: Multifunctional nanomedicines have been used in atherosclerosis theranostics. Herein, phosphatidylserine-specific peptide CLIKKPF-functionalized carbon-dots nanozymes (pep-CDs) are reported for specific and efficient noninvasive theranostic of atherosclerosis. Surprisingly, pep-CDs are discovered to not only inherit the inherent properties of carbon dots (CDs), including deep-red fluorescence emission, photoacoustic response, and superoxide dismutase-like antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities but also possess the ability to target recognition on foam cells and target localization on plaques due to the specific interaction of CLIKKPF with phosphatidylserine on the membrane outer surface of foam cells. Furthermore, the target localization effect of pep-CDs vastly promotes the efficie

SUBMITTER: Chen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10853701 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature