Sukhanova Alyona, Bozrova Svetlana, Gerasimovich Evgeniia, Baryshnikova Maria, Sokolova Zinaida, Samokhvalov Pavel, Guhrenz Chris, Gaponik Nikolai, Karaulov Alexander, Nabiev Igor
Laboratoire de Recherche en Nanosciences, LRN-EA4682, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51100 Reims, France.
Laboratory of Nano-Bioengineering, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), 115409 Moscow, Russia.
Nanomaterials (Basel). 2022 Aug 9;12(16):2734. doi: 10.3390/nano12162734.
Semiconductor nanocrystals known as quantum dots (QDs) are of great interest for researchers and have potential use in various applications in biomedicine, such as in vitro diagnostics, molecular tracking, in vivo imaging, and drug delivery. Systematic analysis of potential hazardous effects of QDs is necessary to ensure their safe use. In this study, we obtained water-soluble core/shell QDs differing in size, surface charge, and chemical composition of the core. All the synthesized QDs were modified with polyethylene glycol derivatives to obtain outer organic shells protecting them from degradation. The physical and chemical parameters were fully characterized. In vitro cytotoxicity of the QDs was estimated in both normal and tumor cell lines. We demonstrated that QDs with the smallest size had the highest in vitro cytotoxicity. The most toxic QDs were characterized by a low negative surface charge, while positively charged QDs were less cytotoxic, and QDs with a greater negative charge were the least toxic. In contrast, the chemical composition of the QD core did not noticeably affect the cytotoxicity in vitro. This study provides a better understanding of the influence of the QD parameters on their cytotoxicity and can be used to improve the design of QDs.
被称为量子点（QDs）的半导体纳米晶体引起了研究人员的极大兴趣，并在生物医学的各种应用中具有潜在用途，如体外诊断、分子追踪、体内成像和药物递送。对量子点潜在有害影响进行系统分析对于确保其安全使用是必要的。在本研究中，我们获得了尺寸、表面电荷和核心化学成分不同的水溶性核/壳量子点。所有合成的量子点都用聚乙二醇衍生物进行了修饰，以获得保护它们不被降解的外部有机壳层。对其物理和化学参数进行了全面表征。在正常细胞系和肿瘤细胞系中评估了量子点的体外细胞毒性。我们证明，尺寸最小的量子点具有最高的体外细胞毒性。毒性最大的量子点具有低负表面电荷的特征，而带正电荷的量子点细胞毒性较小，带更大负电荷的量子点毒性最小。相比之下，量子点核心的化学成分在体外对细胞毒性没有明显影响。本研究有助于更好地理解量子点参数对其细胞毒性的影响，并可用于改进量子点的设计。
