title: Heme oxygenase expression as a biomarker of exposure to amphiphilic polymer-coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots.
abstract: Because of their unique optical properties, quantum dots (QDs) have become a preferred system for ultrasensitive detection and imaging. However, since QDs commonly contain Cd and other heavy metals, concerns have been raised regarding their toxicity. QDs are thus commonly synthesised with a ZnS cap structure and/or coated with polymeric stabilisers. We recently synthesised amphiphilic polymer-coated tri-n-octylphosphine oxide - poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-tetradecene (TOPO-PMAT) QDs, which are highly stable in aqueous environments. The effects of these QDs on viability and stress response in five cell lines of mouse and human origins are reported here. Human and mouse macrophages and human kidney cells readily internalised these QDs, resulting in modest toxicity. TOPO-PMAT QD exposure was highly correlated with the induction of the stress response protein heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1). Other stress biomarkers (glutamate cysteine ligase modifier subunit, NAD(P)H, necrosis) were only moderately affected. HMOX1 may thus be a useful biomarker of TOPO-QDOT QD exposure across cell types and species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington , Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: McConnachie
authors.forename: Collin C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Botta
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Zadworny
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Xiaoge
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: Xiaohu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Terrance J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009336:Necrosis; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000633:toxicity; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011108:Polymers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D011108:Polymers; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C512883:poly(1-tetradecene-alt-maleic acid); C044965:trioctyl phosphine oxide; C058667:cadmium selenide; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; C496542:Hmox1 protein, mouse; C031238:zinc sulfide