碳基纳米结构因其毒性极低而备受关注,优异的可见光触发光学和光热性能,和有趣的应用程序。目前,用于协同化学-光热方法的多功能碳基纳米结构的开发是癌症治疗进展的一个具有挑战性的课题。这里,我们报告了一个前所未有的例子,光响应碳基聚合物点(CPD-PNM)通过一锅法从聚(N-异丙基丙烯酰胺)(PNIPAM)获得,无需使用有机溶剂和其他试剂。通过光谱技术对CPDs-PNM纳米结构进行了表征,透射电子显微镜,和原子力显微镜。CPDs-PNM具有很高的光热转换效率,低临界溶解温度(LCST)行为,和良好的阿糖胞苷(阿拉伯糖基胞嘧啶,AraC)承载能力(62.3%)。CPDs-PNM/AraC加合物的形成和光热控制的药物释放,由绿光激发触发,通过光谱技术证明,并且药物-聚合物相互作用和药物释放机制得到了建模仿真计算的良好支持。通过共聚焦激光扫描显微镜对空的和AraC负载的CPD-PNM的细胞摄取进行成像。体外实验证明,CPDs-PNM不影响神经母细胞瘤细胞的活力,而CPDs-PNM/AraC加合物在光照射下通过联合的化学-光热效应表现出比单独的AraC明显更高的毒性。
Carbon-based nanostructures are attracting a lot of attention because of their very low toxicity, excellent visible light-triggered optical and photothermal properties, and intriguing applications. Currently, the development of multifunctional carbon-based nanostructures for a synergistic chemo-photothermal approach is a challenging topic for the advancement of cancer treatment. Here, we report an unprecedented example of photoresponsive carbon-based polymer dots (CPDs-PNM) obtained by a one-pot thermal process from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) without using organic solvent and additional reagents. The CPDs-PNM nanostructures were characterized by spectroscopic techniques, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The CPDs-PNM exhibited high photothermal conversion efficiency, lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior, and good cytarabine (arabinosyl cytosine, AraC) loading capacity (62.3%). The formation of a CPDs-PNM/AraC adduct and photothermal-controlled drug release, triggered by green light excitation, were demonstrated by spectroscopic techniques, and the drug-polymer interaction and drug release mechanism were well supported by modeling simulation calculations. The cellular uptake of empty and AraC-loaded CPDs-PNM was imaged by confocal laser scanning microscopy. In vitro experiments evidenced that CPDs-PNM did not affect the viability of neuroblastoma cells, while the CPDs-PNM/AraC adduct under light irradiation exhibited significantly higher toxicity than AraC alone by a combined chemo-photothermal effect.