Gd(III) and Fe(III) ion crosslinked hyaluronic acid microgels composites embedding hetero atom doped carbon quantum dots render photodynamic therapy with improved bioimaging capability
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology, cilt.274, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 274
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2025.113342
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, EMBASE, MEDLINE
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Antibacterial, Anticancer/cancer targeting, Bioimaging, Carbon quantum dot (CQ-dot), Hyaluronic acid (HA) microgels, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents, Photodynamic
- Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
In this study, we report the development of multifunctional CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels that can be readily simultaneously used in fluorescence/MR dual-mode imaging and photodynamic therapy as theragnostic agents. Nitrogen (N-) and sulfur (S-) heteroatom-doped carbon quantum dots (CQ-dot) were prepared in one step microwave treatment within 3 min as a fluorescence and photoinduced antipathogenic nanomaterial. The N/S-doped CQ-dots were spherical shaped and < 50 nm via TEM images and showed high fluorescence intensity with 420 nm emission wavelength at maximum λex:350 nm. The N/S-doped CQ-dots were embedded into ionically crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) microgels, employing trivalent metal ions Gd(III) or Fe(III) ions. The prepared CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels <5 mm size range are injectable for possible intravenous administration and possess high fluorescent properties. The isoelectric point (IEP) of CQ-dot@HA-Gd and CQ-dot@HA-Fe(III) microgels was determined as pH 1.45. The CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels exhibit excellent hemocompatibility without causing noticeable hemolysis and blood clotting at concentrations up to 500 mg/mL. Furthermore, the toxicity of CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels on L929 fibroblast cells was found as 100 mg/mL concentration and provide brilliant cell imaging under DAPI filter without any fluorescence dye. Also, the CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgel suspension afforded great MRI contrast enhancement ability. Photoinduced anticancer activity was observed for CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels even at 50 mg/mL against SK-MEL 30 melanoma cells under UV-A light treatment for 30 min. In addition, high reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was obtained for the pathogenic bacteria cells by light-sensitive CQ-dot@HA-Gd/Fe(III) microgels upon 30 min UV-A light treatment that triggered the destruction of the Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538).