Selective photothermal killing of cancer cells using LED-activated nucleus targeting fluorescent carbon dots.

ABSTRACT: The development of effective theranostic probes in cancer therapy is hampered due to issues with selectivity and off-target toxicity. We report the selective LED-photothermal ablation of cervical (HeLa) cancer cells over human dermal fibroblasts (HDF) using a new class of green-emissive fluorescent carbon dots (FCDs). The FCDs can be easily prepared in one pot using cheap and commercial starting materials. Physico-chemical characterization revealed that a surface coating of 2,5-deoxyfructosazine on a robust amorphous core gives rise to the nanomaterial's unique properties. We show that intracellular uptake mostly involves passive mechanisms in combination with intracellular DNA interactions to target the nucleus and that cancer cell selective killing is likely due to an increase in intrace

SUBMITTER: Hill SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9417209 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature