title: Hydrophilic carbon clusters as therapeutic, high-capacity antioxidants.
abstract: Oxidative stress reflects an excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and is a hallmark of several acute and chronic human pathologies. Although many antioxidants have been investigated, most have demonstrated poor efficacy in clinical trials. Here we discuss the limitations of current antioxidants and describe a new class of nanoparticle antioxidants, poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized hydrophilic carbon clusters (PEG-HCCs). PEG-HCCs show high capacity to annihilate ROS such as superoxide (O2(•-)) and the hydroxyl (HO(•)) radical, show no reactivity toward the nitric oxide radical (NO(•)), and can be functionalized with targeting moieties without loss of activity. Given these properties, we propose that PEG-HCCs offer an exciting new area of study for the treatment of numerous ROS-induced human pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, MS-60, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Errol L G
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, MS-60, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: MyLinh T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Brittany R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Bitner
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, MS-60, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Daniela C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Marcano
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, MS-60, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice University, MS-222, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA. Electronic address: tour@rice.edu.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tour
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for Translational Research in Inflammatory Diseases, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Neurology Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Electronic address: tkent@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kent
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants; D001709:Biotechnology; D002244:Carbon; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D036103:Nanotechnology; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002244:Carbon
keywords: antioxidant; carbon nanoparticle; oxidative stress; traumatic brain injury