Preparation of carbon quantum dots- quinic acid for drug delivery of gemcitabine to breast cancer cells

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have undergone extensive research and proved to have the potential to act both as drug delivery vehicles and imaging agents. Quinic acid is an antioxidant that has shown anticancer activity through apoptosis-mediated cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. Besides, it has demonstrated a strong affinity for selectins, which are angiogenesis factors increased in breast cancer tissue. In this study, Nitrogen-doped CQDs were prepared via hydrothermal method. The resulting nanoparticles were conjugated with Quinic acid as targeting agent toward breast cancer cells. Characterization of the resulting nanoparticles included TEM, SEM, Zeta potential, FTIR, EDX, MAP, UV–Visual, and Fluorescent spectroscopy. Gemcitabine was loaded on the resulting nanoparticles through electrostatic interactions. Cell viability was evaluated via MCF7 cell line. In-vivo imaging and biodistribution studies were conducted in breast cancer cells growing in mice. Taken together, Quinic acid conjugated N-CQDs exhibited promising properties such as excellent luminescent properties and high tumor accumulation, suggesting that they could be excellent candidates as multifunctional theranostic agents.