The effect of surface charge on nonspecific uptake and cytotoxicity of CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots

Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology

Vladimir V. Breus¹  Thomas Basché¹  Andreas Janshoff²  Anna Pietuch²  Marco Tarantola³ 

[1] Institute of Physical Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Jakob-Welder-Weg 11, 55128 Mainz, Germany;Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Goettingen, Tammannstr. 6, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPIDS), Laboratory for Fluid Dynamics, Pattern Formation and Biocomplexity, Am Fassberg 17, 37077 Goettingen, Germany;

关键词: biocompatibility;    CdSe/ZnS;    cytotoxicity;    ECIS;    quantum dots;    single-particle tracking;   

DOI  :  10.3762/bjnano.6.26

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

In this work, cytotoxicity and cellular impedance response was compared for CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) with positively charged cysteamine–QDs, negatively charged dihydrolipoic acid–QDs and zwitterionic D-penicillamine–QDs exposed to canine kidney MDCKII cells. Pretreatment of cells with pharmacological inhibitors suggested that the uptake of nanoparticles was largely due to receptor-independent pathways or spontaneous entry for carboxylated and zwitterionic QDs, while for amine-functionalized particles involvement of cholesterol-enriched membrane domains is conceivable. Cysteamine–QDs were found to be the least cytotoxic, while D-penicillamine–QDs reduced the mitochondrial activity of MDCKII by 20–25%. Although the cell vitality appeared unaffected (assessed from the changes in mitochondrial activity using a classical MTS assay after 24 h of exposure), the binding of QDs to the cellular interior and their movement across cytoskeletal filaments (captured and characterized by single-particle tracking), was shown to compromise the integrity of the cytoskeletal and plasma membrane dynamics, as evidenced by electric cell–substrate impedance sensing.

【 授权许可】

Unknown