Carbon dot targeting to nitrogen signaling molecules for inhibiting neuronal death

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. B, Materials for biology and medicine Vol. 8; no. 11; pp. 2321 - 233
• Main Authors: Ouyang, Lufei, Mu, Xiaoyu, Wang, Junying, Li, Qifeng, Gao, Yalong, Liu, Haile, Sun, Si, Ren, Qinjuan, Yan, Ruijuan, Wang, Jingya, Liu, Qiang, Sun, Yuanming, Liu, Changlong, He, Hua, Long, Wei, Zhang, Xiao-Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 18.03.2020
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Biological Transport; Blood-Brain Barrier - metabolism; Brain Injuries, Traumatic - drug therapy; Carbon - chemistry; Carbon dots; Cell Death - drug effects; Cysteine - chemistry; Disease Models, Animal; Experiments; Free radicals; Free Radicals - chemistry; Free Radicals - metabolism; Head injuries; Humans; In vitro methods and tests; Inflammation; Lipid peroxidation; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Lipids; Lysine - chemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Morris Water Maze Test - drug effects; Neurons - cytology; Nitrogen; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxygen; Peroxidation; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Quantum Dots - metabolism; Reactive nitrogen species; Reactive Nitrogen Species - chemistry; Reactive Nitrogen Species - metabolism; Reactive oxygen species; Reactive Oxygen Species - chemistry; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Scavenging; Signaling; Superoxide dismutase; Superoxide Dismutase - metabolism; Tissue Distribution; Traumatic brain injury
• ISSN: 2050-750X; 2050-7518
• DOI: 10.1039/c9tb02447f

Free radical-induced oxidative damage and nitrosative stress have been identified as key factors in neuroinflammation responses after traumatic brain injury (TBI), with which reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), especially nitrogen signaling molecules, are strongly associated. Here, we prepared ultrasmall carbon dot (CD) by using a simple and facile method. In vitro assessment experiments show that the antioxidative CD exhibits an ultrahigh target-scavenging effect for nitrogen signaling molecules, especially the highly reactive &z.rad;NO and ONOO − . However, CD can only partially eliminate conventional oxygen radials such as O 2 &z.rad; − and &z.rad;OH, indicating CD has a preference for RNS modulation. Moreover, in vitro cell experiments and in vivo mice experiments reveal that CD can reduce the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and lipid peroxidation, enhance superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and GSSG level, and further improve the survival rate of neuron cells and TBI mice. These results declare that antioxidative CD could serve as an effective therapeutic for TBI. Ultrasmall carbon dot with targeting ability to nitrogen signaling molecules inhibit neuronal death by regulating the activity of endogenous enzymes.