Development of non-toxic carbon dots as bone-specific carrier for drug delivery

非技术摘要本项目推进了我们对碳量子点（C-点）物理和化学性质的理解，以便在生物系统中应用。 尺寸、形态、表面化学和制备方法决定了C点如何与生物组织相互作用。 来源于碳粉的C点是独特的，因为它们以高亲和力和特异性结合到矿化骨上。 通过表征赋予这些C点独特的骨结合特性的物理和化学特性，该项目将促进我们对C点与矿化组织之间相互作用的理解。 这是开发C点作为骨成像和诊断工具以及治疗和修复骨折和退行性疾病（例如，骨质疏松症），这将影响美国的健康。 此外，这项工作将支持研究生和本科生的培训，促进基于探究的研究和科学合作，这对培养蓬勃发展的美国科学劳动力所需的技能至关重要。技术摘要本工作的目标是了解碳纳米颗粒（C点）的物理和化学性质，以开发其作为骨特异性药物载体。 C点是一类新兴的纳米材料，其在成像、诊断和治疗方面的生物学应用严重依赖于其尺寸、分子结构和来源材料。 由碳粉合成的一类特殊的C点具有与体内矿化骨结合的独特性质。 为了促进我们对C点和矿化组织之间相互作用的理解，该项目将（1）确定与C点对矿化骨的高亲和力和特异性相关的C点的内在化学和物理性质，（2）确定不同的表面功能如何影响C点和矿化骨之间的相互作用，以及（3）功能性地测试C点将药物递送至骨的能力。通过表征C-dots独特的骨结合特性，这项工作不仅将揭示允许C-dots与骨结合的物理化学原理，而且还将识别出将新纳米材料靶向矿化组织而排除其他组织所需的分子原理。因此，这项工作的发现将对纳米材料化学和工程产生广泛的知识影响，并推动骨成像和诊断工具的发展，用于骨折和退行性疾病的修复和治疗。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACTThis project advances our understanding of Carbon dots (C-dots) physical and chemical properties for their application in biological systems. Size, morphology, surface chemistry and method of preparation govern how C-dots interact with biological tissues. C-dots derived from carbon powder are unique in that they bind to mineralized bones with high affinity and specificity. By characterizing the physical and chemical properties that confer these C-dots their unique bone-binding properties, this project will advance our understanding of the interactions between C-dots and mineralized tissues. This is an essential step towards developing C-dots as tools for bone imaging and diagnostic tools, and for the treatment and repair of bone fractures and degenerative diseases (e.g., osteoporosis) that would impact US health. Additionally, this work will support the training of graduate and undergraduate students, fostering inquiry-based research and scientific collaboration essential to develop the skills needed in a thriving US scientific workforce. TECHNICAL ABSTRACTThe goal of this work is to understand the physical and chemical properties of Carbon nanoparticles (C-dots) for their development as bone-specific drug carriers. C-dots are a new emerging class of nanomaterials whose biological applications in imaging, diagnostics and therapeutics critically depend on their size, molecular structure and material of origin. One particular class of C-dots synthesized from carbon powder have the unique property of binding to mineralized bones in vivo. To advance our understanding of the interactions between C-dots and mineralized tissues this project will (1) determine the intrinsic chemical and physical properties of C-dots that are related to their high affinity and specificity towards mineralized bones, (2) determine how different surface functionalities influence the interactions between C-dots and mineralized bones, and (3) functionally test the ability of C-dots to deliver drugs to bones. By characterizing C-dots' unique bone binding properties, this work will not only uncover the physicochemical principles that allow C-dots binding to bones, but will also discern the molecular principles need to target new nanomaterials to mineralized tissue at the exclusion of other tissues. Thus, the findings of this work will have broad intellectual implications for nanomaterial chemistry and engineering, as well as advancing the development of bone imaging and diagnostic tools for the repair and treatment of bone fractures and degenerative diseases.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.