Zamberlan F, Turyanska L, Patanè A, Liu Z, Williams H E L, Fay M W, Clarke P A, Imamura Y, Jin T, Bradshaw T D, Thomas N R, Grabowska A M
Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, NG72RD, UK.
J Mater Chem B. 2018 Jan 28;6(4):550-555. doi: 10.1039/c7tb02912h. Epub 2018 Jan 12.
The short shelf-life of water-soluble quantum dots (QDs) due to colloidal instability represents a major drawback to their exploitation. This work examines the colloidal stability of PbS nanoparticles capped with dihydrolipoic acid-polyethylene glycol (DHLA-PEG) ligands terminated with functional groups such as -NH, -COOH, OMe and -N. and their application for in vivo imaging. We prove a mechanism of colloidal instability and develop a strategy to produce for the first time stable PEG-capped PbS quantum dots with high quantum yield and optical emission in the first and the second near-infrared (NIR) windows of low absorption of biological tissues. The NIR imaging of in vivo biodistribution is demonstrated at wavelengths >1000 nm, with benefits of reduced tissue absorption and light scattering. The stability, biocompatibility and potential for further QD functionalization open up realistic prospects for non-invasive bioimaging applications.
由于胶体不稳定性导致水溶性量子点（QDs）的短保质期是其开发利用的一个主要缺点。这项工作研究了用二氢硫辛酸 - 聚乙二醇（DHLA - PEG）配体封端的PbS纳米颗粒的胶体稳定性，这些配体末端带有诸如 -NH、-COOH、OMe和 -N等官能团，以及它们在体内成像中的应用。我们证明了一种胶体不稳定性机制，并首次开发出一种策略，以生产出在生物组织低吸收的第一和第二近红外（NIR）窗口具有高量子产率和光发射的稳定的PEG封端的PbS量子点。在波长>1000 nm处展示了体内生物分布的近红外成像，具有减少组织吸收和光散射的优点。其稳定性、生物相容性以及进一步进行量子点功能化的潜力为非侵入性生物成像应用开辟了现实前景。
