Manganese-Doped N-Hydroxyphthalimide-Derived Carbon Dots—Theranostics Applications in Experimental Breast Cancer Models
Adrian Tiron,
Corneliu S. Stan,
Gabriel Luta,
Cristina M. Uritu,
Irina-Cezara Vacarean-Trandafir,
Gabriela D. Stanciu,
Adina Coroaba,
Crina E. Tiron
Affiliations
Adrian Tiron
TRANSCEND Centre, Regional Institute of Oncology, 2-4 General Henri Mathias Berthelot Street, 700483 Iasi, Romania
Corneliu S. Stan
Department of Natural and Synthetic Polymers, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, 71 Prof. dr. docent Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi, Romania
Gabriel Luta
TRANSCEND Centre, Regional Institute of Oncology, 2-4 General Henri Mathias Berthelot Street, 700483 Iasi, Romania
Cristina M. Uritu
Centre for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Irina-Cezara Vacarean-Trandafir
TRANSCEND Centre, Regional Institute of Oncology, 2-4 General Henri Mathias Berthelot Street, 700483 Iasi, Romania
Gabriela D. Stanciu
Centre for Advanced Research and Development in Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16 Universitatii Street, 700115 Iasi, Romania
Adina Coroaba
Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Crina E. Tiron
TRANSCEND Centre, Regional Institute of Oncology, 2-4 General Henri Mathias Berthelot Street, 700483 Iasi, Romania
Background: Theranostics, a novel concept in medicine, is based on the use of an agent for simultaneous diagnosis and treatment. Nanomaterials provide promising novel approaches to theranostics. Carbon Dots have been shown to exhibit anti-tumoral properties in various cancer models. The aim of the present study is to develop gadolinium, Fe3+, and Mn2+-doped N-hydroxyphthalimide-derived Carbon Dots. The resulted doped Carbon Dots should preserve the anti-tumoral properties while gaining magnetic resonance imaging properties. Methods: Normal and cancer cell lines have been treated with doped Carbon Dots, and the cell viability has been measured. The doped Carbon Dots that exhibited the most prominent anti-tumoral effect accompanied by the lowest toxicity have been further in vivo tested. Magnetic resonance imaging evaluates both in vitro and in vivo the possibility of using doped Carbon Dots as a contrast agent. Results: According to the results obtained from both the in vitro and in vivo experimental models used in our study, Mn2+-doped Carbon Dots (Mn-CDs-NHF) exhibit anti-tumoral properties, do not significantly impair the cell viability of normal cells, and reduce lung metastasis and the volume of mammary primary tumors while allowing magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions: Our findings prove that Mn-CDs-NHF can be used as theranostics agents in pre-clinical models.