title: Quantum rod bioconjugates as targeted probes for confocal and two-photon fluorescence imaging of cancer cells.
abstract: Live cell imaging using CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum rods (QRs) as targeted optical probes is reported. The QRs, synthesized in organic media using a binary surfactant mixture, were dispersed in aqueous media using mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and lysine. Transferrin (Tf) was linked to the QRs to produce QR-Tf bioconjugates that were used for targeted in vitro delivery to a human cancer cell line. Confocal and two-photon imaging were used to confirm receptor-mediated uptake of QR-Tf conjugates into the HeLa cells, which overexpress the transferrin receptor (TfR). Uptake was not observed with QRs that lacked Tf functionalization or with cells that were presaturated with free Tf and then treated with Tf-functionalized QRs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260-4200, USA.
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Indrajit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Hoon Hi
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Earl J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Bergey
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Tramposch
authors.forename: Sailing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Swihart
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maitra
authors.forename: Paras N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D045663:Quantum Dots; D014168:Transferrin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015335:Molecular Probes; D014168:Transferrin