Issue 8, 2014

Graphitic-phase C3N4 nanosheets as efficient photosensitizers and pH-responsive drug nanocarriers for cancer imaging and therapy

Abstract

Graphitic-phase carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets, the newly emerging two-dimensional (2D) layered nanomaterials, have been demonstrated to be promising bioimaging agents due to their high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields, good biocompatibility and low toxicity. However, the therapeutic applications of g-C3N4 nanosheets have not been explored until now. In this study, we have proven for the first time that g-C3N4 nanosheets can be used as efficient photosensitizers for photodynamic tumor therapy and as pH-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery. On one hand, as photosensitizers, g-C3N4 nanosheets are able to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and kill cancer cells efficiently under low-intensity light irradiation (20 mW cm−2). On the other hand, as nanocarriers, g-C3N4 nanosheets possess an ultrahigh drug-loading capacity owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio. More importantly, g-C3N4 nanosheets loaded with the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) exhibit a pH-responsive release property which is beneficial for the delivery of DOX into cancer cells for chemotherapy. Furthermore, due to their high PL quantum yields, the fluorescent g-C3N4 nanosheets can enable visualization of the delivery. These findings demonstrated the potential of g-C3N4 nanosheets as low-toxic and biocompatible photosensitizers and pH-responsive drug nanocarriers for biomedical applications.

Graphical abstract: Graphitic-phase C3N4 nanosheets as efficient photosensitizers and pH-responsive drug nanocarriers for cancer imaging and therapy

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Oct 2013
Accepted
04 Dec 2013
First published
05 Dec 2013

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2014,2, 1031-1037

Graphitic-phase C3N4 nanosheets as efficient photosensitizers and pH-responsive drug nanocarriers for cancer imaging and therapy

L. Lin, Z. Cong, J. Li, K. Ke, S. Guo, H. Yang and G. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2014, 2, 1031 DOI: 10.1039/C3TB21479F

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