title: Hydrothermal synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon dots with real-time live-cell imaging and blood-brain barrier penetration capabilities.
abstract: Nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal treatment with citric acid in the presence of polyethylenimine. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the N-CDs were monodispersed and quasi-spherical with an average size of ~2.6 nm. Under ultraviolet irradiation the N-CDs emitted a strong blue luminescence with a quantum yield as high as 51%. Moreover, the N-CDs exhibited a negligible cytotoxicity and could be applied as efficient nanoprobes for real-time imaging of live cells. In addition, the ability of the N-CDs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in a concentration-dependent manner was demonstrated using an in vitro BBB model. Therefore, these PEI-passivated N-CDs with real-time live-cell imaging and BBB-penetration capabilities hold promise for traceable drug delivery to the brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University; China Rehabilitation Research Center.
authors.forename: Shousi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Pingxiang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Xiaorong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biology, School of Chemical Biology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Beijing Laboratory for Biomedical Detection Technology and Instrument, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism*; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D002244:Carbon; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: bioimaging; hydrothermal synthesis; nitrogen-doped carbon dots