![Schematic Illustration Showing the Role of GQDs](https://scitechdaily.com/images/Schematic-Illustration-Showing-the-Role-of-GQDs-777x706.jpg)
Schematic illustration exhibiting the position of GQDs, derived from erythrocyte membranes, as peroxidase–mimic enzyme for tumor catalytic remedy. Credit score: FHIPS
A staff led by Professor Wang Hui on the Hefei Institutes of Bodily Science, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed a metal-free nanozyme utilizing graphene quantum dots (GQDs). This innovation is geared toward enhancing the effectiveness of tumor chemodynamic remedy (CDT).
The examine was printed within the journal Matter.
GQDs characterize a promising and cost-effective technique of addressing the toxicity issues related to metal-based nanozymes in tumor CDT. Nonetheless, the restricted catalytic exercise of GQDs has posed vital challenges for his or her scientific software, notably underneath difficult catalytic situations.
“The obtained GQDs, that are comprised of pink blood cell membranes, are extremely efficient in treating tumors with few unintended effects,” stated LIU Hongji, a member of the analysis staff. “One of many benefits is that they’re metal-free. As well as, they perform as glorious peroxidase-like biocatalysts.”
Enhancing Catalytic Efficiency
To boost the catalytic efficiency of the GQD-based nanocatalytic adjuvant, the researchers rationally designed GQDs utilizing a diatomic doping technique. The synergistic electron impact of introducing nitrogen and phosphorus into GQDs can generate extremely localized states close to the Fermi stage, thus enabling environment friendly enzymatic exercise in comparison with single heteroatom doping.
The obtained GQDs, derived from erythrocyte membranes, have been proven to own spectacular peroxidase-mimicking exercise. Consequently, the GQDs are extremely efficient at inducing apoptosis and ferroptosis of most cancers cells in vitro. In addition they selectively goal tumors, with a tumor inhibition price as excessive as 77.71% for intravenous injection and 93.22% for intratumoral injection, with no off-target unintended effects.
This drug-free, target-specific, and biologically benign nanozyme has nice potential as a potent biocatalyst to be used in protected most cancers remedy.
Reference: “Graphene quantum dots as metal-free nanozymes for chemodynamic remedy of most cancers” by Hongji Liu, Zhiming Deng, Zonghui Zhang, Wenchu Lin, Miqin Zhang and Hui Wang, 10 January 2024, Matter.
DOI: 10.1016/j.matt.2023.12.005