Honeyberry-derived carbon quantum dots ameliorate LPS-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress through Nrf2/HO-1 signalling in HMC3 cells

• Published in: Artificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology nanomedicine, and biotechnology, 2023-12, Vol.51 (1), p.95-107
• Main Authors: , Sanjay, Sharma, Anshul, Lee, Hae-Jeung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anti-inflammation; antioxidant; Antioxidants; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Biosensors; Carbon; Carbon dots; Carbon quantum dots; Catalase; Cytokines; Cytotoxicity; Drug delivery; Glutathione; Glutathione peroxidase; Growth factors; Heme oxygenase (decyclizing); Inflammation; Interleukins; lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides; Lonicera caerulea; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuroprotection; Oxidative stress; Peroxidase; Photoluminescence; Photons; Quantum dots; Reactive oxygen species; Reagents; Spectroscopy; Superoxide dismutase; Synthesis; Tissue engineering; Toxicity; Transforming growth factor-b
• ISSN: 2169-1401; 2169-141X
• DOI: 10.1080/21691401.2023.2179062

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized from blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea) berry fruit extracts using a well-known, cost-effective, and environmental friendly hydrothermal process. The material was characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL), XPS, and TEM studies. The as-synthesized carbon dots exhibit excellent PL properties, with a quantum yield of ∼35.92%. CQDs vary in size from ∼2 nm to 9 nm. This study established the neuroprotective effects of CQDs against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human microglial cell model. LPS was found to induce cytotoxicity, reactive oxygen species, and pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α) and downregulated enzymatic antioxidants such as nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), superoxide dismutase, catalase, haem oxygenase (HO)-1, HO-2, and glutathione peroxidase, while CQDs treatment reversed LPS induced cytotoxicity, induced anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and transforming growth factor β) and induce enzymatic antioxidants both at transcriptional and translational levels. The study suggested the potential role of CQDs prepared from Lonicera caerulea, as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative agents in neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, CQDs could be exploited in various biomedical applications such as biosensing, drug delivery and tissue engineering. Highlights Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized and characterized using honeyberries. CQDs showed excellent antioxidant ability in LPS-induced HMC3 cells. CQDs decreased DPPH and ABTS levels in comparable to controls. Expressions of antioxidant enzymes were upregulated by CQDs. CQDs reduced proinflammatory markers and upregulated anti-inflammatory markers. CQDs can activate Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway.