Cited by 65Carbon and Quantum Dots ApplicationsNanoplatforms for cancer theranosticsLuminescence and Fluorescent Materials

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 74 of the 74 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 36 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Facile and Green Synthesis of Novel Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots and Their Silver Heterostructure: An In Vitro Anticancer Activity and Imaging on Colorectal Carcinoma

Open access

Abstract

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Carbon dots (CQDs) have been widely investigated as prime candidates for developing a tumor theranostic platform due to their tunable fluorescence emission and excitation, high water solubility, good photostability, and biocompatibility. Among the CQDs, natural CQDs are an emerging class of nanomaterials in the carbon family. Herein, highly fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized from orange juice using a one-step hydrothermal method and characterized by different techniques. After that, CQD/Ag heterostructures were synthesized by the reduction of silver salt, in particular silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) solution using sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) in different ratios. The photostability and characterization of CQD/Ag heterostructures were investigated. At last, a comparative cellular toxicity measurement was done to select the superior CQD/Ag heterostructure in the human colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) cell line along with the imaging property. The detailed cell death signaling was also observed in the HCT 116 cell line via the ROS-dependent mitochondrial-mediated pathway, where Akt (RAC-α serine/threonine-protein kinase) played a important role.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were synthesized from orange juice by a one-step hydrothermal method and converted into CQD/Ag heterostructures. Sample 5 at 6 μg/mL induced >60% death in HCT 116 colorectal carcinoma cells via ROS-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis and also showed fluorescence imaging potential.

Key findings

  • CQDs showed UV absorption at 271 nm and photoluminescence emission at 467 nm with excitation at 415.8 nm; TEM gave an average diameter of ~12 nm and amorphous character, while CQD/Ag heterostructures had an average diameter of ~10 nm and crystalline HRTEM features.
  • CQD/Ag heterostructures (samples 1–5) showed surface plasmon resonance around 450 nm; TCSPC lifetimes decreased across samples 1–5, with T1 = 2.24, 2.17, 2.08, 1.99, and 1.96 ns and T2 = 8.96, 8.69, 8.34, 7.96, and 7.86 ns, respectively.
  • Under 4 h UV exposure, samples degraded by a maximum of 37% and a minimum of 29%, which the authors describe as promising for cellular imaging.
  • MTT assays showed sample 5 at 6 μg/mL induced >60% HCT 116 cell death (p < 0.01), whereas samples 1–4 required 20, 18, 14, and 12 μg/mL, respectively; Annexin-V/PI flow cytometry showed 24.3% apoptotic cells after 12 h (14.8% early, 9.5% late) and 46.4% after 24 h (22.8% early, 23.6% late), with only 2.2% necrotic cells at 12 h. Caspase 3 and 9 activity increased significantly (p < 0.01), and cytochrome c increased while Bcl2 and Akt decreased.

Methods

  • CQDs were synthesized by mixing orange juice with 2-propanol and heating at 120 °C for 2.5 h; CQD/Ag heterostructures were made by reducing AgNO3 with NaBH4 in different ratios at 120 °C for 2.5 h, yielding samples 1–5.
  • Characterization included UV–vis, photoluminescence, FTIR, TEM/HRTEM/SAED, FESEM-EDX elemental mapping, TCSPC, and photostability measurements.
  • In vitro studies used HCT 116, HEK 293, and BJ-5ta cells with MTT assay, Annexin-V FITC/PI flow cytometry, confocal live-cell imaging, H2DCFDA ROS detection, caspase 3/9 activity assays, and immunofluorescence for BCL2, AKT, and cytochrome c; statistical significance was assessed by ANOVA with p < 0.05.

Limitations

  • The paper does not include an explicit limitations section.
  • Evident from the text: all anticancer and imaging findings are in vitro only, using HCT 116, HEK 293, and BJ-5ta cell lines, with no in vivo animal or clinical data.
  • The text contains minor inconsistencies, such as referring to “lemon juice” in the synthesis section despite using orange juice, and stating that 6 μg/mL of sample 4 was tested in HEK 293 cells while the selected optimal sample was sample 5.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1021/acsomega.2c04964

Cites

74 of 74 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Figures

Figure 1 (A) UV–VIS, (B) photoluminescence, and (C) FTIR spectroscopy of carbon quantum dots; (D) UV–vis, (E) photoluminescence, and (F) FTIR spectroscopy of the carbon quantum dot silver heterostructure.
Figure 1 (A) UV–VIS, (B) photoluminescence, and (C) FTIR spectroscopy of carbon quantum dots; (D) UV–vis, (E) photoluminescence, and (F) FTIR spectroscopy of the carbon quantum dot silver heterostructure.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 2 (A) FESEM-EDX spectra and (B) elemental atomic percentage of samples 1, 2, 4, and 5. (C) Elemental mapping images of samples 2, 4, and 5.
Figure 2 (A) FESEM-EDX spectra and (B) elemental atomic percentage of samples 1, 2, 4, and 5. (C) Elemental mapping images of samples 2, 4, and 5.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 3 (A) TEM images of the carbon quantum dots (particle size distribution plot is in the inset); (B) SAED pattern of the carbon quantum dots; (C) TEM image of the carbon quantum dot silver heterostructure (particle size distribution plot is in the inset).
Figure 3 (A) TEM images of the carbon quantum dots (particle size distribution plot is in the inset); (B) SAED pattern of the carbon quantum dots; (C) TEM image of the carbon quantum dot silver heterostructure (particle size distribution plot is in the inset).CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 4 (A–E) TCSPC data of 5 Samples.
Figure 4 (A–E) TCSPC data of 5 Samples.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 5 (A–E) Absorbance of sample 1 to sample 5 after irradiation for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h in ultraviolet light.
Figure 5 (A–E) Absorbance of sample 1 to sample 5 after irradiation for 1, 2, 3, and 4 h in ultraviolet light.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 6 (A) MTT assay data (samples 1-5) against the HCT 116 cell line (IC50 values have been incorporated in the inset). (B) MTT assay of sample 5 against the BJ-5ta cell line. (C) Cellular penetration of sample 5 in HEK 293.
Figure 6 (A) MTT assay data (samples 1-5) against the HCT 116 cell line (IC50 values have been incorporated in the inset). (B) MTT assay of sample 5 against the BJ-5ta cell line. (C) Cellular penetration of sample 5 in HEK 293.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 7 (A) Annexin-V FITC assay data after treatment of 6 μg/mL of sample 5 against the HCT 116 cell line (time-dependent study) (incorporated in the inset). (B) Quantification of cells in each quadrant of the FACS data.
Figure 7 (A) Annexin-V FITC assay data after treatment of 6 μg/mL of sample 5 against the HCT 116 cell line (time-dependent study) (incorporated in the inset). (B) Quantification of cells in each quadrant of the FACS data.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 8 (A) Measurement of Bcl2, AKT, and cytochrome c intensity of sample 5 (time-dependent study) in the presence of Nuclear Red LCS1. (B) Caspase 3 & 9 activity after dose-dependent treatment of the sample.
Figure 8 (A) Measurement of Bcl2, AKT, and cytochrome c intensity of sample 5 (time-dependent study) in the presence of Nuclear Red LCS1. (B) Caspase 3 & 9 activity after dose-dependent treatment of the sample.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central
Figure 9 Measurement of DCF-DA and the fluorescence intensity of sample 5 (time-dependent study) in the presence of Nuclear Red LCS1 and Mitotracker.
Figure 9 Measurement of DCF-DA and the fluorescence intensity of sample 5 (time-dependent study) in the presence of Nuclear Red LCS1 and Mitotracker.CC BY-NC-ND · PubMed Central

Verification

Claims the paper makes

46 Own result · 25 Own interpretation · 15 Check pending · 11 No full text of the sources · 6 No basis given · 3 Not checked yet · 1 Own method

Verify all 23 references — free account

Show all 53 claims

  • The quote only partly states this claim. 3
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 36
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 24
54 of 54
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The main constituents of orange juice (sucrose, glucose, fructose, citric acid, and ascorbic acid) carbonize under the hydrothermal synthesis conditions to form CQDs.

    “This mechanism mainly involves the carbonization of sucrose, glucose, fructose, citric acid, and ascorbic acid, which are the leading constituents of orange juice.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Orange extract contains a high content of berberine.

    “According to reports, the extract of orange contains a high content of berberine, an alkaloid with a high therapeutic application.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    BJ-5ta and HEK 293 cells represent healthy noncancerous cells.

    “The biocompatibility of sample 5 was also checked in the BJ-5ta cell line (Figure 6B)”
    “A similar analysis with noncancerous HEK 293 cells”
3 of 3

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

5 of 5

Citations

Cites

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Bakry R., 2007, Int. J. Nanomed., 2, 639
  2. Pires N. R., 2015, J. Braz. Chem. Soc., 26, 1274
  3. Brattain M. G., 1981, Cancer Res., 41, 1751
  4. Redza-Dutordoir M., 1863, Biochim. Biophys. Acta, Mol. Cell Res., 2016, 2977

Cited by

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Metadata

Authors
Mishra, S., das, K., Chatterjee, S., Sahoo, P., Kundu, S., Pal, M., Bhaumik, A., & Ghosh, C. K.
Affiliations
  • Jadavpur University (IN)
  • Vidyasagar College (IN)
  • Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (IN)
  • Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IN)
Corresponding author
Ghosh, Chandan Kumar
Venue
ACS Omega
Published
2023-01-27
Volume
8
Issue
5
Pages
4566-4577
ISSN
2470-1343 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4318220662
Cited by
65
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 6
FWCI
4.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • ACS Omega (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
  • Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Luminescence and Fluorescent Materials
Keywords
carbon quantum dots, green synthesis, orange juice, silver nanoparticles, fluorescent nanomaterials, photostability, anticancer activity, colorectal cancer, HCT116 cells, in vitro imaging, reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial apoptosis, Akt signaling, theranostics

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