title: Fluorescent carbon dots as an efficient siRNA nanocarrier for its interference therapy in gastric cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fluorescent carbon dots (Cdots) have attracted increasing attention due to their potential applications in sensing, catalysis, and biomedicine. Currently, intensive research has been concentrated on the synthesis and imaging-guided therapy of these benign photoluminescent materials. Meanwhile, Cdots have been explored as nonviral vector for nucleic acid or drug delivery by chemical modification on purpose.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have developed a microwave assisted one-step synthesis of Cdots with citric acid as carbon source and tryptophan (Trp) as both nitrogen source and passivation agent. The Cdots with uniform size show superior water solubility, excellent biocompatibility, and high quantum yield. Afterwards, the PEI (polyethylenimine)-adsorbed Cdots nanoparticles (Cdots@PEI) were applied to deliver Survivin siRNA into human gastric cancer cell line MGC-803. The results have confirmed the nanocarrier exhibited excellent biocompatibility and a significant increase in cellular delivery of siRNA, inducing efficient knockdown for Survivin protein to 6.1%. In addition, PEI@Cdots complexes mediated Survivin silencing, the arrested cell cycle progression in G1 phase as well as cell apoptosis was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Cdots-based and PEI-adsorbed complexes both as imaging agents and siRNA nanocarriers have been developed for Survivin siRNA delivery. And the results indicate that Cdots-based nanocarriers could be utilized in a broad range of siRNA delivery systems for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. 814305866@qq.com.|Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. 814305866@qq.com.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. chunleizhang@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. gxshen@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Guangxia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. meijer124@163.com.
authors.forename: Huiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. hfu@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hualin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China. dxcui@sjtu.edu.cn.|Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication Technology of the Ministry of Education, Department of Instrument Science & Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan RD, Shanghai, 200240, China. dxcui@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Daxiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012995:Solubility; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000077022:Survivin; D002244:Carbon; D011094:Polyethyleneimine