Exploring the Biocompatibility of Near-IR CuInSe x S 2- x /ZnS Quantum Dots for Deep-Tissue Bioimaging.
Jessica Z Kubicek-SutherlandNikolay S MakarovZachary R StrombergKiersten D LenzChloe CastañedaAmanda N MercerHarshini MukundanHunter McDanielKarthik RamasamyPublished in: ACS applied bio materials (2020)
Near-infrared (NIR) emitting quantum dots (QDs) with emission in the biological transparency windows (NIR-I: 650-950 nm and NIR-II: 1000-1350 nm) are promising candidates for deep-tissue bioimaging. However, they typically contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, arsenic, or lead. We report on the biocompatibility of high brightness CuInSe x S 2- x /ZnS (CISeS/ZnS) QDs with a tunable emission covering the visible to NIR (550-1300 nm peak emission) and quantify the transmission of their photoluminescence through multiple biological components to evaluate their use as imaging agents. In general, CISeS/ZnS QDs were less cytotoxic to mouse fibroblast cells when compared with commercial CdSe/ZnS and InP/ZnS QDs. Surprisingly, InP/ZnS QDs significantly upregulated expression of apoptotic genes in mouse fibroblast cells, while cells exposed to CISeS/ZnS QDs did not. These findings provide insight into biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of CISeS/ZnS QDs that could be used for bioimaging.
Keyphrases
- quantum dots
- photodynamic therapy
- sensitive detection
- induced apoptosis
- heavy metals
- energy transfer
- cell cycle arrest
- fluorescence imaging
- fluorescent probe
- cell death
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- risk assessment
- drug release
- signaling pathway
- high resolution
- drug delivery
- long non coding rna
- living cells
- cell proliferation
- pi k akt
- solid state
- single molecule