An investigation of quantum dot theranostic probes for prostate and leukemia cancer cells using a CdZnSeS QD-based nanoformulation

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 675; pp. 1032 - 1039
• Main Authors: Tan, Ezgi, Snee, Preston T., Danışman‑Kalındemirtaş, Ferdane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2024
• Subjects: Alginates - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Betulinic acid; Cadmium Compounds - chemistry; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Ceranib-2; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Liberation; Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; HL-60 Cells; Humans; In-vitro anticancer activity; Leukemia; Leukemia - drug therapy; Leukemia - pathology; Male; Particle Size; PC-3 Cells; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Prostatic Neoplasms - pathology; Quantum dots; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Selenium Compounds - chemistry; Selenium Compounds - pharmacology; Surface Properties; Theranostic Nanomedicine; Zinc Compounds - chemistry; Ceranib-2; Quantum dots; Prostate cancer; In-vitro anticancer activity; Leukemia; Betulinic acid
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.07.075

[Display omitted] Anticancer theranostic nanocarriers have the potential to enhance the efficacy of pharmaceutical evaluation of drugs. Semiconductor nanocrystals, also known as quantum dots (QDs), are particularly promising components of drug carrier systems due to their small sizes and robust photoluminescence properties. Herein, bright CdZnSeS quantum dots were synthesized in a single step via the hot injection method. The particles have a quasi-core/shell structure as evident from the high quantum yield (85 %), which decreased to 41 % after water solubilization. These water solubilized QDs were encapsulated into gallic acid / alginate (GA-Alg) matrices to fabricate imaging QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg particles with enhanced stability in aqueous media. Cell viability assessments demonstrated that these nanocarriers exhibited viability ranging from 63 % to 83 % across all tested cell lines. Furthermore, the QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg particles were loaded with betulinic acid (BA) and ceranib-2 (C2) for in vitro drug release studies against HL-60 leukemia and PC-3 prostate cancer cells. The BA loaded QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg had a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 8.76 μg/mL against HL-60 leukemia cells, which is 3-fold lower than that of free BA (IC50 = 26.55 μg/mL). Similar enhancements were observed with nanocarriers loaded with C2 and simultaneously with both BA and C2. Additionally, BA:C2 loaded QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg nanocarriers displayed a similar enhancement (IC50 = 3.37 μg/mL compared against IC50 = 11.68 μg/mL for free BA:C2). The C2 loaded QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg nanocarriers had an IC50 = 2.24 μg/mL against HL-60 cells. C2 and BA loaded QDs@mod-PAA/GA-Alg NCr had IC50 values of 7.37 μg/mL and 24.55 μg/mL against PC-3 cells, respectively.