Quantum dots (QDs) are increasingly attracting attention in recent years due to their potential in biological imaging and drug delivery applications. Despite their significant advantages over organic dyes and fluorescent proteins, cytotoxicity is still a major problem in live-cell QD labeling.
In this work, in-vitro characterization of a novel CdTe/2MPA quantum dot capped with CdS-DMSA was conducted on human cervical cancer (HeLa) and mouse fibroblast (NIH/3T3) cell lines. Biocompatibility of this novel particle was evaluated in comparison to a commercial quantum dot (Qdot 565) and various QDs with CdTe core.
Cytotoxicity of quantum dots was investigated using XTT and proliferation assays. Cellular internalization and localization of particles were studied using confocal laser scanning microscopy. For quantitative determination of internalization and intracellular QD stability, we also performed uptake and cadmium release assays.
Optimal cell imaging concentration with CdTe-CdS/2MPA-DMSA was determined as 10-50 ug/mL in HeLa cells. Localization of the internalized QD particles was observed in the perinuclear region of the cells. XTT and proliferation assays provided identical viability results for the tested QDs. CdS-DMSA capping increased cytocompatibility of CdTe/2MPA by 15% in NIH/3T3 cells. Biocompatibility of this capped particle was further increased by 3-folds
with pegylation. For pegylated CdTe-CdS/2MPA-DMSA and commercial Qdot 565, we have not observed QD-related cytotoxicity on NIH/3T3 cells following
24-hr QD exposure at 50 ug/mL. Our in-vitro characterization studies indicate that CdTe-CdS/2MPA-DMSA is a promising live-cell imaging probe which can be effectively excited in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:METU/oai:etd.lib.metu.edu.tr:http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12613629/index.pdf |
| Date | 01 September 2011 |
| Creators | Sayin, Esen |
| Contributors | Ozen, Can |
| Publisher | METU |
| Source Sets | Middle East Technical Univ. |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | M.S. Thesis |
| Format | text/pdf |
| Rights | To liberate the content for METU campus |
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