title: Bottom-up synthesis of carbon nanoparticles with higher doxorubicin efficacy.
abstract: Nanomedicine requires intelligent and non-toxic nanomaterials for real clinical applications. Carbon materials possess interesting properties but with some limitations due to toxic effects. Interest in carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) is increasing because they are considered green materials with tunable optical properties, overcoming the problem of toxicity associated with quantum dots or nanocrystals, and can be utilized as smart drug delivery systems. Using black tea as a raw material, we synthesized CNPs with a narrow size distribution, tunable optical properties covering visible to deep red absorption, non-toxicity and easy synthesis for large-scale production. We utilized these CNPs to label subcellular structures such as exosomes. More importantly, these new CNPs can escape lysosomal sequestration and rapidly distribute themselves in the cytoplasm to release doxorubicin (doxo) with better efficacy than the free drug. The release of doxo from CNPs was optimal at low pH, similar to the tumour microenvironment. These CNPs were non-toxic in mice and reduced the tumour burden when loaded with doxo due to an improved pharmacokinetics profile. In summary, we created a new delivery system that is potentially useful for improving cancer treatments and opening a new window for tagging microvesicles utilized in liquid biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy; Doctoral School in Nanotechnology, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bayda
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy; Doctoral School in Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Mohamad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadla
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy; Doctoral School in Nanotechnology, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palazzolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy; Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine & Stem Cell Research, Amity University, Noida, India.
authors.forename: Vinit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Caligiuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Electron Microscopy Center "Giovanni Stevanato", University Ca' Foscari of Venezia, Italy; European Center of Living Technology, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Emmanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ambrosi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Electron Microscopy Center "Giovanni Stevanato", University Ca' Foscari of Venezia, Italy; European Center of Living Technology, Venezia-Mestre, Italy; Doctoral School in Chemistry, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pontoglio
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical, Oncological and Gastroenterological Sciences, Section of Surgery, University of Padova, Italy; Pediatric Research Institute, Città della Speranza, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tuccinardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Electron Microscopy Center "Giovanni Stevanato", University Ca' Foscari of Venezia, Italy; European Center of Living Technology, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Alvise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems and Electron Microscopy Center "Giovanni Stevanato", University Ca' Foscari of Venezia, Italy; European Center of Living Technology, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riello
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Canzonieri
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toffoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Research, National Cancer Institute - CRO-IRCCS, Aviano, Italy. Electronic address: frizzolio@cro.it.
authors.forename: Flavio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rizzolio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004337:Drug Carriers; D002244:Carbon; D004317:Doxorubicin
keywords: Cancer; Carbon nanoparticles; Doxorubicin; Drug delivery; Nanotechnology