Carbon dots (CDs), comprising crystalline graphitized carbon cores and polymer surface groups, are currently attracting a lot of interest in biological fields owing to their fluorescent properties, high photostability, biocompatibility and low toxicity. In addition, the easy preparation and functionalization of CDs stimulate the development of CDs‐based composite materials with specific functions. Presently, the biological applications of CDs are growing at a remarkable speed, justifying the need for up‐to‐date review articles that capture recent progress in this blossoming field. In this review, breakthroughs in the synthesis, modification, optical properties, toxicology and biocatalytic platforms of CDs are described. Further, recent research related to bioimaging, biosensing, drug delivery, antibacterial, anticancer (photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy and synergistic therapy) and antiviral therapies involving CDs are discussed in detail. Finally, a perspective on the prospects and challenges of CDs in the fields of biomedicine and biotechnology is provided.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/smsc.202200012

Carbon Dots in Bioimaging, Biosensing and Therapeutics: A Comprehensive Review

Synthesis strategies, luminescence mechanisms, and biomedical applications of near-infrared fluorescent carbon dots

Due to global aging problems, the rising number of patients suffering from chronic or hard-to-heal acute wounds imposes a significant burden on healthcare systems. Wound healing is a complicated and dynamic physiological process with distinct molecular and cellular levels at each phase. Despite numerous strategies and advanced wound dressings being developed, successful wound management through smart dressing materials that can adapt to changing wound microenvironments and address the needs of wounds at different stages remains a big challenge. Over the last decade, hydrogel-based dressings have emerged as one of the most potent biomaterials for wound treatment with favorable biological characteristics and a high potential for active intervention during the wound-curing process. In the current contribution, we present the most recent progress in smart hydrogel dressings that can regulate the release of therapeutics in response to external stimuli (such as light) as well as endogenous changes in wound environments (e.g., temperature, pH, glucose, and reactive oxygen species) to facilitate wound healing. We also introduce the cutting-edge technologies of intelligent “sense-and-treat” dressings through a combination of built-in sensors or sensing molecules with responsive hydrogels, which enable real-time monitoring of wound conditions and prompt on-demand therapy. 

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1002/bmm2.12021

Responsive hydrogel dressings for intelligent wound management

Carbon dots (CDs), as one new class of carbon nanomaterials with various structure and extraordinary physicochemical properties, have attracted tremendous interest for their potential applications in tumor theranostics, especially in targeted bioimaging and therapy. In these areas, CDs and its derivatives have been employed as highly efficient imaging agent for photoluminescence bioimaging of tumors cells. With unique structure, optical and/or dose attention properties, CDs have been harnessed in various nanotheranostic strategies for diverse tumors through integrating with other functional nanoparticles or utilizing their inherent physical properties. Up to now, CDs have been approved as novel biomaterials by their excellent performances in precise targeted bioimaging and therapy for tumors. Herein, the latest progress in the development of CDs in targeted bioimaging and tumor therapy are reviewed. Meanwhile, the challenges and future prospects of the application of CDs in promising nanotheranostic strategies are discussed and proposed.

Recent progress of carbon dots in targeted bioimaging and cancer therapy

Application of carbon-based quantum dots in photodynamic therapy

Red emissive two-photon carbon dots: Photodynamic therapy in combination with real-time dynamic monitoring for the nucleolus

H2O2-activated in situ polymerization of aniline derivative in hydrogel for real-time monitoring and inhibition of wound bacterial infection.

Hypoxia is a critical factor for restricting photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumor, and it becomes increasingly severe with increasing tissue depth. Thus, the relief of deep tumor hypoxia is extremely important to improve the PDT efficacy. Herein, tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive size-switchable hyaluronic acid-hybridized Ru nanoaggregates (HA@Ru NAs) were developed via screening reaction temperature to alleviate deep tumor hypoxia for improving the tumor-specific PDT by the artful integration multiple bioactivated chemical reactions in situ and receptor-mediated targeting (RMT). In this nanosystem, Ru NPs not only enabled HA@Ru NAs to have near infrared (NIR)-mediated photothermal/photodynamic functions, but also could catalyze endogenous H2O2 to produce O2in situ. More importantly, hyaluronidase (HAase) overexpressed in the TME could trigger disassembly of HA@Ru NAs via the hydrolysis of HA, offering the smart size switch capability from 60 to 15 nm for enhancing tumor penetration. Moreover, the RMT characteristics of HA ensured that HA@Ru NAs could specially enter CD44-overexpressed tumor cells, enhancing tumor-specific precision of phototherapy. Taken together these distinguishing characteristics, smart HA@Ru NAs successfully realized the relief of deep tumor hypoxia to improve the tumor-specific PDT.

Size-Switchable Ru Nanoaggregates for Enhancing Phototherapy: Hyaluronidase-Triggered Disassembly to Alleviate Deep Tumor Hypoxia.

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Red emissive two-photon carbon dots: Photodynamic therapy in combination with real-time dynamic monitoring for the nucleolus

H2O2-activated in situ polymerization of aniline derivative in hydrogel for real-time monitoring and inhibition of wound bacterial infection.

Size-Switchable Ru Nanoaggregates for Enhancing Phototherapy: Hyaluronidase-Triggered Disassembly to Alleviate Deep Tumor Hypoxia.