Monitoring the Intracellular Distribution and ROS Scavenging Potential of Carbon Dot–Cerium Oxide Nanocomposites in Fibroblast Cells

Abstract In the present work, cerium oxide (CeO₂)‐based nanocomposites integrating fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The formation and cellular uptake of these nanocomposites was studied by various analytical techniques. The therapeutic and imaging aspects of CDs‐CeO₂ nanocomposites were validated using NIH3T3 fibroblast cells as a model system. The antioxidant potency of CDs‐CeO₂ nanocomposites was also evaluated in cells treated with H₂O₂, a major reactive oxygen species (ROS) species, using a 2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH‐DA) assay. Tracking the intracellular fluorescence of CDs‐CeO₂ nanocomposites by microscopy and flow cytometry made it possible to examine the capabilities of CeO₂ for abatement of H₂O₂‐mediated oxidative stress. Taken together, the present study motivates the use of therapeutic nanocomposites whilst monitoring their uptake, which holds clinical relevance for ROS‐related diseases.