biostudies-literatureChen JNHLBI NIH HHSU.S. Department of DefenseNational Cancer InstituteNCI NIH HHSNational Institutes of HealthNational Science Foundation193-206https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9957951biostudies-literatureUnknown637Nucleus targeting is tremendously important in cancer therapy. Cationic carbon dots (CCDs) are potential nanoparticles which might enter cells and penetrate nuclear membranes. Although some CCDs have been investigated in nucleus targeting and applied in nuclear imaging, the CCDs derived from drugs, that are able to target the nucleus, bind with DNA and inhibit the growth of cancer cells have not been reported. In this project, 1, 2, 4, 5-benzenetetramine (Y15, a focal adhesion kinase inhibitor) derived cationic carbon dots (Y15-CDs) were prepared via a hydrothermal approach utilizing Y15, folic acid and 1,2-ethylenediamine as precursors. Based on the structural, optical, and morphologic characterizations, Y15-CDs possess rich amine groups and nitrogen in structure, an excitation-dependent Journal of colloid and interface scienceCancer cells inhibition by cationic carbon dots targeting the cellular nucleus.PMC9957951SUB00002778R21 CA250597BC180657R01HL1569581R21CA2505972041413R01 HL156958Zhang FOlivier JHChen JBartoli MTagliaferro ALi FDomena JBLeblanc RMZhou YPaulino VVerde FC L B Ferreira BZhang WMichael Brejcha NZhang YZhang XLuo LGu JArduino CfalseCancer cells inhibition by cationic carbon dots targeting the cellular nucleus.Nucleus targeting is tremendously important in cancer therapy. Cationic carbon dots (CCDs) are potential nanoparticles which might enter cells and penetrate nuclear membranes. Although some CCDs have been investigated in nucleus targeting and applied in nuclear imaging, the CCDs derived from drugs, that are able to target the nucleus, bind with DNA and inhibit the growth of cancer cells have not been reported. In this project, 1, 2, 4, 5-benzenetetramine (Y15, a focal adhesion kinase inhibitor) derived cationic carbon dots (Y15-CDs) were prepared via a hydrothermal approach utilizing Y15, folic acid and 1,2-ethylenediamine as precursors. Based on the structural, optical, and morphologic characterizations, Y15-CDs possess rich amine groups and nitrogen in structure, an excitation-dependent 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 May2025-04-18T15:29:21.827Z2025-04-07T02:10:20.757ZS-EPMC99579513670186510.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.086