TY - JOUR
T1 - Graphene quantum dots
T2 - From efficient preparation to safe renal excretion
AU - Hadad, Caroline
AU - González-Domínguez, José Miguel
AU - Armelloni, Silvia
AU - Mattinzoli, Deborah
AU - Ikehata, Masami
AU - Istif, Akcan
AU - Ostric, Adrian
AU - Cellesi, Francesco
AU - Alfieri, Carlo Maria
AU - Messa, Piergiorgio
AU - Ballesteros, Belén
AU - Da Ros, Tatiana
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Carbon nanomaterials offer excellent prospects as therapeutic agents, and among them, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have gained considerable interest thanks to their aqueous solubility and intrinsic fluorescence, which enable their possible use in theranostic approaches, if their biocompatibility and favorable pharmacokinetic are confirmed. We prepared ultra-small GQDs using an alternative, reproducible, top-down synthesis starting from graphene oxide with a nearly 100% conversion. The materials were tested to assess their safety, demonstrating good biocompatibility and ability in passing the ultrafiltration barrier using an in vitro model. This leads to renal excretion without affecting the kidneys. Moreover, we studied the GQDs in vivo biodistribution confirming their efficient renal clearance, and we demonstrated that the internalization mechanism into podocytes is caveolae-mediated. Therefore, considering the reported characteristics, it appears possible to vehiculate compounds to kidneys by means of GQDs, overcoming problems related to lysosomal degradation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Carbon nanomaterials offer excellent prospects as therapeutic agents, and among them, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have gained considerable interest thanks to their aqueous solubility and intrinsic fluorescence, which enable their possible use in theranostic approaches, if their biocompatibility and favorable pharmacokinetic are confirmed. We prepared ultra-small GQDs using an alternative, reproducible, top-down synthesis starting from graphene oxide with a nearly 100% conversion. The materials were tested to assess their safety, demonstrating good biocompatibility and ability in passing the ultrafiltration barrier using an in vitro model. This leads to renal excretion without affecting the kidneys. Moreover, we studied the GQDs in vivo biodistribution confirming their efficient renal clearance, and we demonstrated that the internalization mechanism into podocytes is caveolae-mediated. Therefore, considering the reported characteristics, it appears possible to vehiculate compounds to kidneys by means of GQDs, overcoming problems related to lysosomal degradation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - biodistribution
KW - graphene quantum dots
KW - nanocarrier
KW - podocytes
KW - renal clearance
KW - uptake pathway
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092054266&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85092054266&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12274-020-3096-y
DO - 10.1007/s12274-020-3096-y
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85092054266
VL - 14
SP - 674
EP - 683
JO - Nano Research
JF - Nano Research
SN - 1998-0124
ER -