Effects of carbon dots surface functionalities on cellular behaviors – Mechanistic exploration for opportunities in manipulating uptake and translocation

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces B, Biointerfaces, 2019-09, Vol.181, p.48-57
• Main Authors: Yan, Gui-Hua, Song, Zheng-Mei, Liu, Yuan-Yuan, Su, Qianqian, Liang, Weixiong, Cao, Aoneng, Sun, Ya-Ping, Wang, Haifang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon - chemistry; Carbon - pharmacokinetics; Carbon dots; Cell cycle; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cellular uptake; HeLa Cells; Humans; Particle Size; Polyethyleneimine - chemistry; Polyethyleneimine - pharmacokinetics; Propylamines - chemistry; Propylamines - pharmacokinetics; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Surface passivation; Surface Properties; Translocation; Tumor Cells, Cultured
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2019.05.027

[Display omitted] •HeLa cells at different cycle phases show different behaviors in taking up the CDots.•Surface moieties of CDots play a key role in their uptake and translocation in cells.•Serum in media enhances the uptake of EPA-CDots, while inhibits that of PEI-CDots. Carbon dots (CDots) for their excellent optical and other properties have been widely pursued for potential biomedical applications, in which a more comprehensive understanding on the cellular behaviors and mechanisms of CDots is required. For such a purpose, two kinds of CDots with surface passivation by 3-ethoxypropylamine (EPA-CDots) and oligomeric polyethylenimine (PEI-CDots) were selected for evaluations on their uptakes by human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells at three cell cycle phases (G0/G1, S and G2/M), and on their different internalization pathways and translocations in cells. The results show that HeLa cells could internalize both CDots by different pathways, with an overall slightly higher internalization efficiency for PEI-CDots. The presence of serum in culture media could have major effects, significantly enhancing the cellular uptake of EPA-CDots, yet markedly inhibiting that of PEI-CDots. The HeLa cells at different cell cycle phases have different behaviors in taking up the CDots, which are also affected by the different dot surface moieties and serum in culture media. Mechanistic implications of the results and the opportunities associated with an improved understanding on the cellular behaviors of CDots for potentially the manipulation and control of their cellular uptakes and translocations are discussed.