Jiahui Bao, Xuechun Zhou, Xiaoyu He, Ning Tian, Zhe Zhang, Hui Peng, Changkui Fu, Tenghui Tian, Yu Zhao, Yingnan Jiang, Rui Jiang, Andrew K. Whittaker
{"title":"Carbon nanodots derived from herbal extract ginsenoside Rg1 demonstrate highly effective inhibition against cervical carcinoma","authors":"Jiahui Bao, Xuechun Zhou, Xiaoyu He, Ning Tian, Zhe Zhang, Hui Peng, Changkui Fu, Tenghui Tian, Yu Zhao, Yingnan Jiang, Rui Jiang, Andrew K. Whittaker","doi":"10.1007/s42823-025-00877-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The current standard treatment regimen for patients with cervical cancer consists of a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the serious side effects often encountered with chemotherapy drugs greatly limits the effective doses that can be delivered, and hence the treatment of cervical cancer still faces strong challenges. In this study, carbon nanodots, nanodrugs with anti-cervical cancer activity and with negligible toxicity, were prepared from the precursor herbal extract ginsenoside Rg1. The surface of the Rg1 carbon nanodots is rich in hydrophilic functional groups, resulting in good dispersion in aqueous media and high biocompatibility. In Vitro experiments show that the Rg1 carbon nanodots have significant cytostatic and pro-apoptotic effects on HeLa cells, and could inhibit their migration and invasion. Experiments in tumor-bearing nude mice show that the Rg1 carbon nanodots could significantly inhibit tumor growth. Through qPCR validation, the Rg1 carbon nanodots were shown to enhance HeLa cell apoptosis, by regulating the expression levels of Cyto c, Caspase-9, Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2, induce G2/M phase arrest by regulating CDK 1 and Cyclin B1 expression, and inhibit tumor cell migration by modulating CDH1 and β-catenin. Since the precursor Rg1 is a natural herbal extract, negligible toxic side effects were observed in nude mice. The work demonstrates that Rg1 carbon nanodots can be expected to become a potential nanomedicine against human cervical cancer with negligible toxic side effects and excellent therapeutic effects.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":506,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Letters","volume":"35 3","pages":"1349 - 1361"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Carbon Letters","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42823-025-00877-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The current standard treatment regimen for patients with cervical cancer consists of a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the serious side effects often encountered with chemotherapy drugs greatly limits the effective doses that can be delivered, and hence the treatment of cervical cancer still faces strong challenges. In this study, carbon nanodots, nanodrugs with anti-cervical cancer activity and with negligible toxicity, were prepared from the precursor herbal extract ginsenoside Rg1. The surface of the Rg1 carbon nanodots is rich in hydrophilic functional groups, resulting in good dispersion in aqueous media and high biocompatibility. In Vitro experiments show that the Rg1 carbon nanodots have significant cytostatic and pro-apoptotic effects on HeLa cells, and could inhibit their migration and invasion. Experiments in tumor-bearing nude mice show that the Rg1 carbon nanodots could significantly inhibit tumor growth. Through qPCR validation, the Rg1 carbon nanodots were shown to enhance HeLa cell apoptosis, by regulating the expression levels of Cyto c, Caspase-9, Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2, induce G2/M phase arrest by regulating CDK 1 and Cyclin B1 expression, and inhibit tumor cell migration by modulating CDH1 and β-catenin. Since the precursor Rg1 is a natural herbal extract, negligible toxic side effects were observed in nude mice. The work demonstrates that Rg1 carbon nanodots can be expected to become a potential nanomedicine against human cervical cancer with negligible toxic side effects and excellent therapeutic effects.
期刊介绍:
Carbon Letters aims to be a comprehensive journal with complete coverage of carbon materials and carbon-rich molecules. These materials range from, but are not limited to, diamond and graphite through chars, semicokes, mesophase substances, carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, graphenes, carbon blacks, activated carbons, pyrolytic carbons, glass-like carbons, etc. Papers on the secondary production of new carbon and composite materials from the above mentioned various carbons are within the scope of the journal. Papers on organic substances, including coals, will be considered only if the research has close relation to the resulting carbon materials. Carbon Letters also seeks to keep abreast of new developments in their specialist fields and to unite in finding alternative energy solutions to current issues such as the greenhouse effect and the depletion of the ozone layer. The renewable energy basics, energy storage and conversion, solar energy, wind energy, water energy, nuclear energy, biomass energy, hydrogen production technology, and other clean energy technologies are also within the scope of the journal. Carbon Letters invites original reports of fundamental research in all branches of the theory and practice of carbon science and technology.