Related Experiment Video For Carbon quantum dots
Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Computed Tomography-guided Time-domain Diffuse Fluorescence Tomography in Small Animals for Localization of Cancer Biomarkers
Published on: July 17, 2012
Tryptophan-sorbitol based carbon quantum dots for theranostics against hepatocellular carcinoma
Yang Wang1,2,3, Jun Chen1,3,4, Jiekang Tian5
1Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Xiangya Road 87, Kaifu District, Changsha, 410008, China.
Background:
Despite novel advances in screening, targeting and immunotherapies, early diagnosis and satisfactory treatments against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain formidable challenges. Given the unique advantages, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) become a smart theranostic nanomaterial for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
Results:
In this work, a type of bio-friendly CQDs, trichrome-tryptophan-sorbitol CQDs (TC-WS-CQDs), is synthesized from natural biocompatible tryptophan via the one-pot hydrothermal method. Compared with normal hepatocytes, a much stronger green fluorescence is detected in HCC cells, indicating the ability of TC-WS-CQDs to target HCC cells. Furthermore, green-emitting TC-WS-CQDs generate large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to autophagy of HCC cells. Additionally, the green-emitting TC-WS-CQDs perform significant tumor inhibition by inducing autophagy via p53-AMPK pathway in vitro and in vivo studies with almost no systemic toxicity.
Conclusions:
The results may highlight a promising anticancer nanotheranostic strategy with integration of diagnosis, targeting, and therapy.
