Bi-doped carbon quantum dots functionalized liposomes with fluorescence visualization imaging for tumor diagnosis and treatment

Liposomes are one of the significant classes of antitumor nanomaterials and the most successful nanomedicine drugs in clinical translation. However, it is difficult to accurately reveal liposome delivery modes and drug release rates at different p H values to assess the biodistribution and drug delivery pathways in vivo. Here, we established a strategy to integrate Bi-doped carbon quantum dots(CQDs)with liposomes to produce fluorescence visualization and therapeutic effects, namely lipo/Bi-doped CQDs.Lipo/Bi-doped CQDs show good water solubility and physicochemical properties, which can be used for in vitro labeling of colon cancer(CT26) cells and in vivo imaging localization tracking tumors for monitoring. Simultaneously, thanks to the excellent p H sensitivity and ion doping characteristic of Bi-doped CQDs, lipo/Bi-doped CQDs can be used to reveal the drug release rate of liposomes at different p H values and exhibit potential effects in vivo antitumor therapy.

Fluorescent properties and in vitro studies of new dehydroabietic acid-based diarylamines fluorescent probes

A series of dehydroabietic acid-based diarylamines have been synthesized in order to investigate their fluorescent properties, photostability, cell toxicity and in vitro fluorescence imaging. The geometries as well as their molecular properties were optimized at the B3LYP/6-31G~* level using Gaussian 03. The results indicate that molecular geometry, HOMO and LUMO energies, and energy gaps are important to predict absorption and fluorescent properties. Five of the compounds can be effectively taken up by human cervical carcinoma, human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721, human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells and strong blue fluorescent signals are detected in these cells. These compounds are potential candidates for fluorescent probes in biological diagnosis.

Recent Advances in Graphene Quantum Dots as Bioimaging Probes

The emerging graphene quantum dots(GQDs)have gained tremendous attention for their enormous potential in biological applications,owing to their unique and tunable photoluminescence properties,exceptional physicochemical features,high biocompatibility,small sizes and low costs.This mini review aims to update the latest results in rapidly evolving bioimaging research and to provide critical insights into exciting future developments.We firstly provide a brief review of their synthesis and optical properties and then place emphasis on both in vitro and in vivo imaging applications.