Carbogenic Nanozyme with Ultrahigh Reactive Nitrogen Species Selectivity for Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), especially reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are intermediate products during incidence of nervous system diseases, showing continuous damage for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Here, we developed a carbogenic nanozyme, which shows an antioxidant activity 12 times higher than ascorbic acid (AA) and behaves as multienzyme mimetics. Importantly, the nanozyme exhibits an ultrahigh scavenging efficiency (∼16 times higher than AA) toward highly active RNS, such as ^•NO and ONOO^- as well as traditional reactive oxygen species (ROS) including O₂^•-, H₂O₂, and ^•OH. In vitro experiments show that neuron cells injured by H₂O₂ or lipopolysaccharide can be significantly recovered after carbogenic nanozyme treatment via scavenging all kinds of RONS. Moreover, the carbogenic nanozyme can serve as various enzyme mimetics and eliminate the harmful peroxide and glutathione disulfide from injured mice, demonstrating its potential as a therapeutic for acute TBI.