Guangxia Shen

Light-Triggered Theranostics Based on Photosensitizer-Conjugated Carbon Dots for Simultaneous Enhanced-Fluorescence Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy

National Key Basic Research Program (973 Project) [2010CB933901, 2011CB933100]; National Natural Scientific Fund [51102258, 20803040, 81028009, 31170961]; New Century Excellent Talent of Ministry of Education of China [NCET-08-0350]; Shanghai Science and Technology Fund [1052nm04100]; Ministry of Education

Mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods with embedded indocyanine green for dual mode X-ray CT and NIR fluorescence imaging

Indocyanine green-loaded mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods (ICG-loaded Au@SiO2) were prepared for the dual capability of X-ray computed tomography (CT) and fluorescence imaging. X-ray CT scanning showed that ICG-loaded Au@SiO2 could provide significant contrast enhancement; Near-infrared fluorescence generated by the nanomaterial was present up to 12 h post intratumoral injection, thus enabling ICG-loaded Au@SiO2 to be used as a promising dual mode imaging contrast agent. Multiplexed images can be more easily obtained with this novel type of multimodal nanostructure compared with traditional contrast agents. The dual mode imaging probe has great potential for use in applications such as cancer targeting, molecular imaging in combination with radiotherapy, and photothermolysis.

The immunotoxicity of graphene oxides and the effect of PVP-coating

Graphene oxide (GO) immunotoxicity is not clarified well up to date. Herein we reported the effects of GOs with and without polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coating on human immune cells such as dendritic cells (DCs), T lymphocytes and macrophages. Human immune cells such as dendritic cells (DCs), T lymphocytes and macrophages were isolated from health donated bloods, PVP-coating GO (PVP-GO) exhibited lower immunogenicity compared with pure GO on the aspect of inducing differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells (DCs), the levels of secreted TNF-α and IL-1β had no obvious difference between two groups, yet the secretion of IL-6 remained in PVP-coating GO group. In addition, PVP-coating GO delayed significantly the apoptotic process of T lymphocytes, at the same time, and exhibited anti-phagocytosis ability against macrophages and markedly enhanced the physiological activity of macrophages. In conclusion, PVP-coating GO possesses good immunological biocompatibility and immunoenhancement effects in vitro, and is likely to be an available candidate of immunoadjuvant in the future.

Systematic safety evaluation on photoluminescent carbon dots

Photoluminescent carbon dots (C-dots) were prepared using the improved nitric acid oxidation method. The C-dots were characterized by tapping-mode atomic force microscopy, and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The C-dots were subjected to systematic safety evaluation via acute toxicity, subacute toxicity, and genotoxicity experiments (including mouse bone marrow micronuclear test and Salmonella typhimurium mutagenicity test). The results showed that the C-dots were successfully prepared with good stability, high dispersibility, and water solubility. At all studied C-dot dosages, no significant toxic effect, i.e., no abnormality or lesion, was observed in the organs of the animals. Therefore, the C-dots are non-toxic to mice under any dose and have potential use in fluorescence imaging in vivo, tumor cell tracking, and others.

Individual nanocomposite sheets of chemically reduced graphene oxide and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone): preparation and humidity sensing characteristics

Individual nanocomposite sheets of chemically reduced graphene oxide (CRG) and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), namely CRG/PVP, have been fabricated through a simple one-pot procedure. The structure and composition of the as-prepared CRG/PVP sheets were complementarily characterized using solid-state 13C NMR, atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and other spectroscopic measurements, demonstrating that the PVP molecules were chemically grafted on the CRG surfaces. The electrical conductivity of the individual CRG/PVP sheets was measured at different levels of relative humidity (RH) using a conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) system, revealing that the electrical conductivity of a CRG/PVP sheet is sensitive to RH variation with a response time of a few seconds. Given the easy mass scale production and improved electrical conductivity, we envisage that the CRG/PVP nanocomposite sheets should have a broad spectrum of applications in electrical conductivity based sensors.

Green controllable synthesis of silver nanomaterials on graphene oxide sheets via spontaneous reduction

Silver nanoparticles, nanocubes and dendrites were controllably synthesized on graphene oxide (GO) sheets by use of GO as substrates and reducing agents combined with different concentrations of silver ions, sampling orders and different reaction times at room temperature. The prepared GO–silver hybrids were characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, zeta potential, and X-ray diffraction. Moreover, the GO–silver hybrids displayed a singular remarkable surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect. The intensity increase can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the silver ions in the reaction solution.

Fluorescent carbon dots as an efficient siRNA nanocarrier for its interference therapy in gastric cancer cells

BackgroundFluorescent 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.ResultsWe 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.ConclusionThe 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.

Effects of cobalt precursor on pyrolyzed carbon-supported cobalt-polypyrrole as electrocatalyst toward oxygen reduction reaction.

A series of non-precious metal electrocatalysts, namely pyrolyzed carbon-supported cobalt-polypyrrole, Co-PPy-TsOH/C, are synthesized with various cobalt precursors, including cobalt acetate, cobalt nitrate, cobalt oxalate, and cobalt chloride. The catalytic performance towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is comparatively investigated with electrochemical techniques of cyclic voltammogram, rotating disk electrode and rotating ring-disk electrode. The results are analyzed and discussed employing physiochemical techniques of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma, elemental analysis, and extended X-ray absorption fine structure. It shows that the cobalt precursor plays an essential role on the synthesis process as well as microstructure and performance of the Co-PPy-TsOH/C catalysts towards ORR. Among the studied Co-PPy-TsOH/C catalysts, that prepared with cobalt acetate exhibits the best ORR performance. The crystallite/particle size of cobalt and its distribution as well as the graphitization degree of carbon in the catalyst greatly affects the catalytic performance of Co-PPy-TsOH/C towards ORR. Metallic cobalt is the main component in the active site in Co-PPy-TsOH/C for catalyzing ORR, but some other elements such as nitrogen are probably involved, too.

Carbon dots: a safe nanoscale substance for the immunologic system of mice.

We aimed at investigating the effect of carbon dots on the BALB/c mice immune system. Mice were respectively treated with different doses of carbon dots and saline. At 1 and 9 days after intravenous administration of carbon dots, splenocyte proliferation, subpopulation of the peripheral lymphocytes, and induction of primary immune responses in mice were investigated. The results showed that high dose of carbon dots could promote the percentages of CD3+ and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secretion and decrease the proportions of CD4+/CD8+ on the first day after administration. At 9 days post exposure, the proliferation of splenocytes had a significant increase. IFN-γ secretion and proportions of CD3+/CD19+ were also found to have an obvious promotion, and both the percentages of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were raised, whereas the expression of cytokines made little change in the treated groups, except for IL-12 which had a slight increase in the 50-mg/kg group. The weight coefficients and histological analysis of the spleen and thymus of the treated mice exerted fewer differences compared with those from the control mice. It suggests that carbon dots could influence the immune functions of normal BALB/c mice by inducing Th1 and Tc responses and that these effects were not enough to induce the morphological change of the immune organs.

Hollow Sodium Tungsten Bronze (Na0.15WO3) Nanospheres: Preparation, Characterization, and Their Adsorption Properties

We report herein a facile method for the preparation of sodium tungsten bronzes hollow nanospheres using hydrogen gas bubbles as reactant for chemical reduction of tungstate to tungsten and as template for the formation of hollow nanospheres at the same time. The chemical composition and the crystalline state of the as-prepared hollow Na0.15WO3nanospheres were characterized complementarily, and the hollow structure formation mechanism was proposed. The hollow Na0.15WO3nanospheres showed large Brunauer–Emment–Teller specific area (33.8 m2 g−1), strong resistance to acids, and excellent ability to remove organic molecules such as dye and proteins from aqueous solutions. These illustrate that the hollow nanospheres of Na0.15WO3should be a useful adsorbent.