title: A cytotoxicity study of fluorescent carbon nanodots using human bronchial epithelial cells.
abstract: The labeling of living cells with carbon nanoparticles has been increasingly studied both in vivo and in vitro, but concerns about the potential cytotoxicity of these nanoprobes are also increasing. In this study, the fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) without surface modification was synthesized and evaluated for its cytotoxicity. Indicators including cell viability, total reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione, malondialdehyde and lactate dehydrogenase were assessed using human bronchial epithelial (16HBE) cell line. Our results showed that CDs preferred to locate on the surface of cells, which significantly increased the membrane permeability of 16HBE cells. CDs exposure could further induce oxidative stress, exhaust the antioxidant defenses of cells and finally lead to decreased cell viability. Therefore, surface modification of CDs is needed to minimize its cytotoxicity. The present work is useful for the development of new strategies towards the in vitro and in vivo applications of CDs for optical imaging and drug delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Zhangzhou Normal College, Zhangzhou 363000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhiyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yuhui
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Feiming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiaming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002470:Cell Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D045663:Quantum Dots; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002244:Carbon; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D005978:Glutathione