Polydopamine-carbon dots functionalized hollow carbon nanoplatform for fluorescence-imaging and photothermal-enhanced thermochemotherapy

Nanoparticles targeting the adenosine pathway for cancer immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy, as an emerging approach to cancer treatment, has tremendous potential for application. Compared to traditional methods such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, it has the ability to restore the patient's immune system, leading to long-term immune memory with less damage to normal tissues. However, immunotherapy has its limitations, including limited therapeutic efficacy, restricted patient populations, and inconsistent treatment responses. Finding effective immunotherapeutic approaches has become a key focus of its clinical application. The adenosine pathway is a recently discovered tumor immune regulatory signaling pathway. It can influence the metabolism and growth of tumor cells by acting through key enzymes in the adenosine pathway, thereby affecting the development of tumors. Therefore, inhibiting the adenosine pathway is an effective cancer immunotherapy. Common adenosine pathway inhibitors include small molecules and antibody proteins, and extensive preclinical trials have demonstrated their effectiveness in inhibiting tumor growth. The short half-life, low bioavailability, and single administration route of adenosine pathway inhibitors limit their clinical application. With the advent of nanotechnology, nano-delivery of adenosine pathway inhibitors has addressed these issues. Compared to traditional drugs, nano-drugs extend the drug's circulation time and improve its distribution within the body. They also offer targeting capabilities and have low toxic side effects, making them very promising for future applications. In this review, we discuss the mechanism of the adenosine pathway in tumor immune suppression, the clinical applications of adenosine pathway inhibitors, and nano-delivery based on adenosine pathway inhibitors. In the final part of this article, we also briefly discuss the technical issues and challenges currently present in nano-delivery of adenosine pathway inhibitors, with the hope of advancing the progress of adenosine inhibitor nano-drugs in clinical treatment.

Dopamine-Functionalized, Red Carbon Quantum Dots for In Vivo Bioimaging, Cancer Therapeutics, and Neuronal Differentiation

One of the crucial requirements of quantum dots for biological applications is their surface modification for very specific and enhanced biological recognition and uptake. Toward this end, we present the green synthesis of bright, red-emitting carbon quantum dots derived from mango leaf extract (mQDs). These mQDs are conjugated electrostatically with dopamine to form mQDs-dopamine (mQDs:DOPA) bioconjugates. Bright-red fluorescence of mQDs was used for bioimaging and uptake in cancerous and noncancerous cell lines, tissues, and in vivo models like zebrafish. mQDs exhibited the highest uptake in brain tissue compared to the heart, kidney, and liver. mQD:DOPA conjugates killed breast cancer cells and increased uptake in epithelial RPE-1 cells and zebrafish. Additionally, mQDs:DOPA promoted neuronal differentiation of SH-SY5Y cells to differentiated neurons. Both mQDs and mQDs:DOPA exhibited the potential for higher collective cell migrations, implicating their future potential as next-generation tools for advanced biological and biomedical applications.

Photothermal therapy: a novel potential treatment for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of cancer-related death in men, and most PCa patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy will progress to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) due to the lack of efficient treatment. Recently, lots of research indicated that photothermal therapy (PTT) was a promising alternative that provided an accurate and efficient prostate cancer therapy. A photothermic agent (PTA) is a basic component of PPT and is divided into organic and inorganic PTAs. Besides, the combination of PTT and other therapies, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), immunotherapy (IT), chemotherapy (CT), etc., provides an more efficient strategy for PCa therapy. Here, we introduce basic information about PTT and summarize the PTT treatment strategies for prostate cancer. Based on recent works, we think the combination of PPT and other therapies provides a novel possibility for PCa, especially CRPC clinical treatment.

The future of plant based green carbon dots as cancer Nanomedicine: From current progress to future Perspectives and beyond

BACKGROUND

The emergence of carbon dots (CDs) as anticancer agents had sparked a transformation in cancer research and treatment strategies. These fluorescent CDs, initially introduced in the early 2000 s, possess exceptional biocompatibility, tunable fluorescence, and surface modification capabilities, positioning them as promising tools in biomedical applications.

AIM OF REVIEW

The review encapsulates the transformative trajectory of green CDs as future anticancer nanomedicine, poised to redefine the strategies employed in the ongoing fight against cancer.

KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW

The versatility of CDs was rooted in their various synthesis approaches and sustainable strategies, enabling their adaptability for diverse therapeutic uses. In vitro studies had showcased CDs' selective cytotoxicity against cancer cells while sparing healthy counterparts, forming the basis for targeted therapeutic potential. This selectivity had been attributed to the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which opened avenues for targeted interventions. The role of CDs in combination therapies, synergizing with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted approaches was then investigated to heighten their anticancer efficacy. Notably, in vivo studies highlight CDs' remarkable biocompatibility and minimal side effects, endorsing their translational promise. Integration with conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy amplified the versatility and effectiveness of CDs. The exploration of CDs' applications in photo-induced treatments further solidified their significance, positioning them as photosensitizers (PS) in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal agents (PA) in photothermal therapy (PTT). In PDT, CDs triggered the generation of ROS upon light exposure, facilitating cancer cell elimination, while in PTT, they induced localized hyperthermia within cancer cells, enhancing therapeutic outcomes. In vitro and in vivo investigations validated CDs' efficacy in PDT and PTT, affirming their potential for integration into combination therapies. Looking ahead, the future of CDs in anticancer treatment encompasses bioavailability, biocompatibility, synergistic treatments, tumor targeting, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics integration, personalized medicine, and clinical translation. This transformative odyssey of CDs as future anticancer agents is poised to redefine the paradigm of cancer treatment strategies.

The Graphene Quantum Dots Gated Nanoplatform for Photothermal-Enhanced Synergetic Tumor Therapy

Currently, the obvious side effects of anti-tumor drugs, premature drug release, and low tumor penetration of nanoparticles have largely reduced the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy. A drug delivery vehicle (MCN-SS-GQDs) was designed innovatively. For this, the mesoporous carbon nanoparticles (MCN) with the capabilities of superior photothermal conversion efficiency and high loading efficiency were used as the skeleton structure, and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were gated on the mesopores via disulfide bonds. The doxorubicin (DOX) was used to evaluate the pH-, GSH-, and NIR-responsive release performances of DOX/MCN-SS-GQDs. The disulfide bonds of MCN-SS-GQDs can be ruptured under high glutathione concentration in the tumor microenvironment, inducing the responsive release of DOX and the detachment of GQDs. The local temperature of a tumor increases significantly through the photothermal conversion of double carbon materials (MCN and GQDs) under near-infrared light irradiation. Local hyperthermia can promote tumor cell apoptosis, accelerate the release of drugs, and increase the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy, thus increasing treatment effect. At the same time, the detached GQDs can take advantage of their extremely small size (5-10 nm) to penetrate deeply into tumor tissues, solving the problem of low permeability of traditional nanoparticles. By utilizing the photothermal properties of GQDs, synergistic photothermal conversion between GQDs and MCN was realized for the purpose of synergistic photothermal treatment of superficial and deep tumor tissues.

Melanin-Inspired Composite Materials: From Nanoarchitectonics to Applications

Synthetic melanin is a mimic of natural melanin analogue with intriguing properties such as metal-ion chelation, redox activity, adhesion, and broadband absorption. Melanin-inspired composite materials are formulated by assembly of melanin with other types of inorganic and organic components to target, combine, and build up the functionality, far beyond their natural capabilities. Developing efficient and universal methodologies to prepare melanin-based composite materials with unique functionality is vital for their further applications. In this review, we summarize three types of synthetic approaches, predoping, surface engineering, and physical blending, to access various melanin-inspired composite materials with distinctive structure and properties. The applications of melanin-inspired composite materials in free radical scavenging, bioimaging, antifouling, and catalytic applications are also reviewed. This review also concludes current challenges that must be addressed and research opportunities in future studies.

Polydopamine-activated celastrol carbon dots for synergistic chemotherapy-photothermal therapy of tumors

Synergistic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) holds the promise of addressing the weakness of individualized chemotherapy and PTT. In this study, we synthesized a chemotherapeutic agent, PDA-Ce-CDs, which combines the photothermal conversion ability and the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), enabling synergistic enhancement of antitumor effects. Furthermore, the localized heating effect of NIR radiation promoted the uptake of the PDA-Ce-CDs and enhances the sensitivity of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Finally, the antitumor activity of the PDA-Ce-CDs was evaluated through cell experiments and tumor-bearing mice experiments, confirming its excellent antitumor efficacy in vivo and in vitro. Our work presents a new strategy in cancer treatment by utilizing carbon dots in combination with photothermal agents for synergistic chemotherapy-photothermal therapy. This innovative approach offers a new therapeutic avenue for synergistic tumor treatment by harnessing the combined effects of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy.

Hyaluronic Acid-Conjugated Fluorescent Probe-Shielded Polydopamine Nanomedicines for Targeted Imaging and Chemotherapy of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the urinary system, with high risk of recurrence and progression. However, the difficulty in detecting small tumor lesions and the lack of selectivity of intravesical treatment seriously affect the prognosis of patients with bladder cancer. In the present work, a nanoparticle-based delivery system with tumor targeting, high biocompatibility, simple preparation, and the ability to synergize imaging and therapy was fabricated. Specifically, this nanosystem consisted of the core of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded polydopamine nanoparticles (PDD NPs) and the shell of hyaluronic acid (HA)-conjugated IR780 (HA-IR780). The HA-IR780-covered PDD NPs (HR-PDD NPs) demonstrated tumor targeting and visualization both in vitro and in vivo with properties of promoted cancer cell endocytosis and lysosomal escape, efficiently delivering drugs to the target site and exerting a killing effect on tumor cells. Encouragingly, intravesical instillation of HR-PDD NPs improved drug retention in the bladder and promoted its accumulation in tumor tissue, resulting in better tumor proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in an orthotopic bladder cancer model in rats. This study provides a promising strategy for the diagnosis and therapy of bladder cancer.

Recent advances on hyperthermia therapy applications of carbon-based nanocomposites

Generally, hyperthermia is referred to the composites capability to increase local temperature in such a way that the generated heat would lead to cancerous or bacteria cells destruction, with minimum damage to normal tissue cells. Many different materials have been utilized for hyperthermia application via different heat generating methods. Carbon-based nanomaterials consisting of graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotube (CNT), carbon dot (CD) and carbon quantum dot (CQD), nanodiamond (ND), fullerene and carbon fiber (CF), have been studied significantly for different applications including hyperthermia due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, chemical and physical stability, thermal and electrical conductivity and in some cases photothermal conversion. Therefore, in this comprehensive review, a structure-based view on carbon nanomaterials application in hyperthermia therapy of cancer and bacteria via various methods such as optical, magnetic, ultrasonic and radiofrequency-induced hyperthermia is presented.

Multifunctional role of carbon dot-based polymer nanocomposites in biomedical applications: a review

Carbon-based 0D materials have shown tremendous potential in the development of biomedical applications of the next generation. The astounding results are primarily motivated by their distinctive nanoarchitecture and unique properties. Integrating these properties of 0D carbon nanomaterials into various polymer systems has orchestrated exceptional potential for their use in the development of sustainable and cutting-edge biomedical applications such as biosensors, bioimaging, biomimetic implants and many more. Specifically, carbon dots (CDs) have gained much attention in the development of biomedical devices due to their optoelectronic properties and scope of band manipulation upon surface revamping. The role of CDs in reinforcing various polymeric systems has been reviewed along with discussing unifying concepts of their mechanistic aspects. The study also discussed CDs optical properties via the quantum confinement effect and band gap transition which is further useful in various biomedical application studies.

Multi-applications of carbon dots and polydopamine-coated carbon dots for Fe3+ detection, bioimaging, dopamine assay and photothermal therapy

Carbon dots (CDs) or CDs/polymer composites have been applied in numerous fields. Here, novel CDs were synthesized by carbonization of egg yolk, and characterized by TEM, FTIR, XPS and photoluminescence spectra. The CDs were found to be approximate sphere in shape with an average size of 4.46 ± 1.17 nm, and emitted bright blue photoluminescence under UV irradiation. The photoluminescence of CDs was found selectively quenched by Fe³⁺ in a linear manner in the range of 0.05-0.45 mM, meaning they could be applied for Fe³⁺ detection in solution. Moreover, the CDs could be uptaken by HepG2 cells to exhibit bright blue photoluminescence. The intensity could reflect the level of intracellular Fe³⁺, indicating they could be further used for cell imaging and intracellular Fe³⁺ monitoring. Next, dopamine was polymerized on the surface of CDs to obtain the polydopamine (PDA)-coated CDs (CDs@PDA). We found PDA coating could quench the photoluminescence of CDs via inner filter effect, and the degree of quenching was linearly related to the logarithm of DA concentration (Log C_DA). Also, the selectivity experiment indicated the method had a high selectivity for DA over a number of possible interfering species. This indicated the CDs in combination with Tris buffer could be potentially applied as the assay kit of dopamine. At last, the CDs@PDA exhibited excellent photothermal conversion capability, and they could efficiently kill HepG2 cells under NIR laser irradiation. Overall, the CDs and CDs@PDA in this work exhibited many excellent advantages, and could be potentially used for multi-applications, such as Fe³⁺ sensor in solution and cellular, cell imaging, dopamine assay kit, as well as photothermal agents for cancer therapy.

Carbon dot-based nanomaterials: a promising future nano-platform for targeting tumor-associated macrophages

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is the internal environment that tumors depend on for survival and development. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), as an important part of the tumor microenvironment, which plays a crucial role in the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of various malignant tumors and has immunosuppressant ability. With the development of immunotherapy, eradicating cancer cells by activating the innate immune system has yielded encouraging results, however only a minority of patients show a lasting response. Therefore, in vivo imaging of dynamic TAMs is crucial in patient-tailored immunotherapy to identify patients who will benefit from immunotherapy, monitor efficacy after treatment, and identify alternative strategies for non-responders. Meanwhile, developing nanomedicines based on TAMs-related antitumor mechanisms to effectively inhibit tumor growth is expected to become a promising research field. Carbon dots (CDs), as an emerging member of the carbon material family, exhibit unexpected superiority in fluorescence imaging/sensing, such as near infrared imaging, photostability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. Their characteristics naturally integrate therapy and diagnosis, and when CDs are combined with targeted chemical/genetic/photodynamic/photothermal therapeutic moieties, they are good candidates for targeting TAMs. We concentrate our discussion on the current learn of TAMs and describe recent examples of macrophage modulation based on carbon dot-associated nanoparticles, emphasizing the advantages of their multifunctional platform and their potential for TAMs theranostics.

CRISPR/Cas9-3NLS/sgHMGA2@PDA nanosystem is the potential efficient gene editing therapy for gastric cancer with HMGA2 high expression

Gene therapy is one of the target therapies with promising clinical use for gastric cancer (GC). However, the delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9/sgRNA (RNP) gene editing tool severely limits the practical therapeutic effect of GC. Therefore, it is a great challenge to develop an RNP delivery system that is simple to prepare and can rapidly encapsulate RNP while achieving high delivery and gene editing efficiency. We developed, for the first time, the CRISPR/Cas9@PDA nano-delivery system that can achieve high-efficiency delivery (95%) of CRISPR/Cas9_-3NLS/sgHMGA2 and high-efficient HMGA2 gene editing (82%) of GC cells. In particular, the experiment’s weak alkaline environment can not only protect the activity of CRISPR/Cas9_-3NLS/sgHMGA2 but also trigger the self-polymerization of polydopamine (PDA). Meanwhile, the presence of KE in the CRISPR/Cas9 amino acid sequence can achieve the directional growth of PDA, thus forming a core–shell structure that protects CRISPR/Cas9_-3NLS/sgHMGA2. This efficient CRISPR/Cas9_-3NLS/sgHMGA2 delivery and HMGA2 gene editing ability has also been verified in mice, which can significantly inhibit tumor growth in mice. The success of building the delivery system and its ideal treating effect give hope to the efficacious treatment for the GC patients with HMGA2 high expression.

Blood-brain barrier penetrating carbon dots with intrinsic anti-inflammatory and drug-loading properties

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle limiting the reach of therapeutic drugs into the brain. Herein, an aspirin-based anti-inflammatory replenisher (aspCD) was fabricated by carbonizing aspirin to deliver drugs into the brain visually. The as-prepared aspCD combined the BBB-penetrating and anti-inflammatory effects of aspirin with the fluorescent and drug-loading properties of carbon dots (CDs), thereby delivering therapeutic drugs into the brain and acting as imaging agent as well as anti-inflammatory replenisher. In vivo experiments of mice and zebrafish revealed that fluorescence aspCD could effectively penetrate BBB. In vitro and in vivo inflammatory models demonstrated that aspCD could be regarded as an excellent anti-inflammatory replenisher. In addition, as a functional carrier, aspCD was proved to be capable of loading drugs with different polarity. In summary, carbonization of active precursors (therapeutic drugs) into CDs could be a promising strategy to achieve the loading and visualization of drugs as well as the retainment of their biological activities.

Research Progress of Photothermal Nanomaterials in Multimodal Tumor Therapy

The aggressive growth of cancer cells brings extreme challenges to cancer therapy while triggering the exploration of the application of multimodal therapy methods. Multimodal tumor therapy based on photothermal nanomaterials is a new technology to realize tumor cell thermal ablation through near-infrared light irradiation with a specific wavelength, which has the advantages of high efficiency, less adverse reactions, and effective inhibition of tumor metastasis compared with traditional treatment methods such as surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Photothermal nanomaterials have gained increasing interest due to their potential applications, remarkable properties, and advantages for tumor therapy. In this review, recent advances and the common applications of photothermal nanomaterials in multimodal tumor therapy are summarized, with a focus on the different types of photothermal nanomaterials and their application in multimodal tumor therapy. Moreover, the challenges and future applications have also been speculated.

ZIF-based carbon dots with lysosome-Golgi transport property as visualization platform for deep tumour therapy via hierarchical size/charge dual-transform and transcytosis

The poor penetration of nanomaterials in solid tumours and difficulty in monitoring their penetration depth are major obstacles in their application for the treatment of solid tumours. Herein, pH-responsive carbon dots (ZCD) based on a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) were fabricated to achieve the deep delivery of the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) via a hierarchical size/charge dual-transformation and transcytosis. The as-prepared ZCD accumulated in the solid tumour and the acidic tumour microenvironment further triggered its decomposition. Firstly, ZCD was decomposed by the weakly acidic extracellular microenvironment of the solid tumour, enabling it to transform into small and neutrally charged particles. Subsequently, these particles were endocytosed by lysosomes, and further disintegrated into smaller and positively charged particles, which could target the Golgi apparatus. Consequently, ZCD delivered DOX deep into the solid tumour via a size-shrinking strategy and Golgi-mediated transcytosis, thus significantly improving its antitumour efficacy. In addition, carbonization endowed ZCD with superior fluorescence property, which was enhanced in the acidic microenvironment, thus improving the sensitivity and accuracy of ex vivo monitoring of the penetration depth of the nanomedicine in real time. Collectively, our results confirmed that the carbon dots obtained via the direct carbonization of ZIF-8 simultaneously exhibited enhanced deep penetration into solid tumours and fluorescence, which could be monitored, and that the carbonization of functional materials is effective to enhance their fluorescence, and further broaden their applications.

H2O2 generation enhancement by ultrasonic nebulisation with a zinc layer for spray disinfection

With the outbreak of COVID-19, microbial pollution has gained increasing attention as a threat to human health. Consequently, many research efforts are being devoted to the development of efficient disinfection methods. In this context, hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) stands out as a green and broad-spectrum disinfectant, which can be produced and sprayed in the air directly by cavitation in ultrasonic nebulisation. However, the yield of H₂O₂ obtained by ultrasonic nebulisation is too low to satisfy the requirements for disinfection by spraying and needs to be improved to achieve efficient disinfection of the air and objects. Herein, we report the introduction of a zinc layer into an ultrasonic nebuliser to improve the production of H₂O₂ and generate additional Zn²⁺ by self-corrosion, achieving good disinfecting performance. Specifically, a zinc layer was assembled on the oscillator plate of a commercial ultrasonic nebuliser, resulting in a 21-fold increase in the yield of H₂O₂ and the production of 4.75 μg/mL Zn²⁺ in the spraying droplets. When the generated water mist was used to treat a bottle polluted with Escherichia coli for 30 min, the sterilisation rate reached 93.53%. This ultrasonic nebulisation using a functional zinc layer successfully enhanced the production of H₂O₂ while generating Zn²⁺, providing a platform for the development of new methodologies of spray disinfection.

Enhanced Photothermal Performance by Carbon Dot-Chelated Polydopamine Nanoparticles

Polydopamine (PDA) has been widely used in biomedical applications including imaging contrast agents, antioxidants, UV protection, and photothermal therapy due to its biocompatibility, metal-ion chelation, free-radical scavenging, and wideband absorption, but its low photothermal efficiency still needs to be improved. In this study, we chelated near-infrared (NIR) sensitive carbon quantum dots on the surface of polydopamine (PDA-PEI@N,S-CQDs) to increase its near-infrared absorption. Surprisingly, although only 4% (w/w) of carbon quantum dots was conjugated on the PDA surface, it still increased the photothermal efficiency by 30%. Moreover, PDA-PEI@N,S-CQDs could also be used as the drug carrier for loading 60% (w/w) of the DOX and achieved stimuli-responsive drug release under lysosomal pH (pH 5.0) and 808 nm laser illumination. For in vitro therapeutic experiment, PDA-PEI@N,S-CQDs showed the remarkable therapeutic performance under 808 nm laser irradiation for killing 90% of cancer cells compared with 50% by pure PDA nanoparticles, and the efficacy was even higher after loading DOX owing to the synergistic effect by photothermal therapy and chemotherapy. This intelligent and effective therapeutic nanosystem based on PDA-PEI@N,S-CQDs showed enhanced photothermal behavior after chelating carbon dots and promoted the future development of a nanoplatform for stimuli-responsive photothermal/chemo therapy.

Silica-supported near-infrared carbon dots and bicarbonate nanoplatform for triple synergistic sterilization and wound healing promotion therapy

Widespread bacterial infection and the emergence of antibiotic resistance exhibit an increasing threat to public health. Additionally, chronic wounds caused by bacterial infection have become a major challenge and threat in medical. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore effective and safe nanomaterials which possess antibacterial and wound healing promotion performance. Herein, we developed silica-supported near-infrared carbon dots (QPCuRC@MSiO₂) and bicarbonate (BC) nanoplatform (BC/QPCuRC@MSiO₂@PDA), which possess triple synergistic antibacterial including quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), photothermal therapy (PTT), and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Meanwhile, the nanoplatform realized the controlled release of CO₂ in situ triggered by 808 nm laser irradiation for wound healing. In vitro and in vivo antibacterial assays displayed that the BC/QPCuRC@MSiO₂@PDA possess excellent antibacterial property, the antibacterial rate up to 99.6% and 99.99% to Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), respectively. Wound healing evaluation proved that suitable release of CO₂ could promote the process of infected wound healing, and the wound healing rate up to 100% after treatment for 14 days. Additionally, the cellular imaging experiment revealed that the BC/QPCuRC@MSiO₂@PDA could be considered as fluorescence probe. Together, these results demonstrated that the BC/QPCuRC@MSiO₂@PDA have great potential in biomedical field.

A pH-targeted and NIR-responsive NaCl-nanocarrier for photothermal therapy and ion-interference therapy

Transport ions into cells through nanocarrier to achieve ion-interference therapy provides new inspiration for cancer treatment. In this work, a pH-targeted and NIR-responsive NaCl-nanocarrier is prepared using surfactant Vitamin E-O(EG₂-Glu) and modified with polydopamine (PDA) and pH-sensitive zwitterionic chitosan (ZWC). The NaCl-nanocarrier is decorated with NH₄HCO₃ and IR-780 to introduce near-infrared (NIR)-responsive performance and imaging. Once the NaCl-nanocarrier is exposed to NIR laser, the temperature rises rapidly because of the excellent photothermal conversion ability of PDA, then NH₄HCO₃ is decomposed into NH₃ and CO₂, which burst the nanocarrier, resulting in Cl^- and Na⁺ "bomb-like" release. This pH-targeted nanocarrier accumulates more at tumor site and when irradiating the site with NIR light, the temperature rises and excessive Cl^- and Na⁺ are released to destroy the ion homeostasis and inhibit tumor growth effectively. Through this strategy, the unique combination of ion interference therapy and photothermal therapy is achieved.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks for tumor phototherapy

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are constructed from metal ions/cluster nodes and functional organic ligands through coordination bonds. Owing to the advantages of diverse synthetic methods, easy modification after synthesis, large adsorption capacity for heavy metals, and short equilibrium time, considerable attention has recently been paid to MOFs for tumor phototherapy. Through rational tuning of metal ions and ligands, MOFs present abundant properties for various applications. Light-triggered phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), is an emerging cancer treatment approach. Nanosized MOFs can be applied as phototherapeutic agents to accomplish phototherapy with excellent phototherapeutic efficacy. This review outlines the latest advances in the field of phototherapy with various metal ion-based MOFs.

Recent Advances in Carbon Nanodots: A Promising Nanomaterial for Biomedical Applications

Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are an emerging class of nanomaterials and have generated much interest in the field of biomedicine by way of unique properties, such as superior biocompatibility, stability, excellent photoluminescence, simple green synthesis, and easy surface modification. CNDs have been featured in a host of applications, including bioimaging, biosensing, and therapy. In this review, we summarize the latest research progress of CNDs and discuss key advances in our comprehension of CNDs and their potential as biomedical tools. We highlighted the recent developments in the understanding of the functional tailoring of CNDs by modifying dopants and surface molecules, which have yielded a deeper understanding of their antioxidant behavior and mechanisms of action. The increasing amount of in vitro research regarding CNDs has also spawned interest in in vivo practices. Chief among them, we discuss the emergence of research analyzing CNDs as useful therapeutic agents in various disease states. Each subject is debated with reflection on future studies that may further our grasp of CNDs.