title: A pilot study in non-human primates shows no adverse response to intravenous injection of quantum dots.
abstract: Quantum dots have been used in biomedical research for imaging, diagnostics and sensing purposes. However, concerns over the cytotoxicity of their heavy metal constituents and conflicting results from in vitro and small animal toxicity studies have limited their translation towards clinical applications. Here, we show in a pilot study that rhesus macaques injected with phospholipid micelle-encapsulated CdSe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots do not exhibit evidence of toxicity. Blood and biochemical markers remained within normal ranges following treatment, and histology of major organs after 90 days showed no abnormalities. Our results show that acute toxicity of these quantum dots in vivo can be minimal. However, chemical analysis revealed that most of the initial dose of cadmium remained in the liver, spleen and kidneys after 90 days. This means that the breakdown and clearance of quantum dots is quite slow, suggesting that longer-term studies will be required to determine the ultimate fate of these heavy metals and the impact of their persistence in primates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Laboratory Animal Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China. lye301@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Indrajit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hongxing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Wing-Cheung
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Jianwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yaqian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yazhuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xihe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Swihart
authors.forename: Paras N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D050997:Nanomedicine; D010865:Pilot Projects; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013440:Sulfides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D002104:Cadmium