title: Targeting and retention enhancement of quantum dots decorated with amino acids in an invertebrate model organism.
abstract: The use of quantum dots (QDs) in biological imaging applications and targeted drug delivery is expected to increase. However, the efficiency of QDs in drug targeting needs to be improved. Here, we show that amino acids linked to CdTe QDs significantly increased the targeted transfer efficiency and biological safety in the invertebrate model Bombyx mori. Compared with bare QDs530, the transfer efficiency of Ala- and Gly-conjugated QDs (QDs530-Ala and QDs530-Gly) in circulatory system increased by 2.6 ± 0.3 and 1.5 ± 0.3 times, and increased by 7.8 ± 0.9 and 2.9 ± 0.2 times in target tissue silk glands, respectively, after 24 h of QDs exposure. Meanwhile, the amount of conjugated QDs decreased by (68.4 ± 4.4)% and (46.7 ± 9.1)% in the non-target tissue fat body, and the speed at which they entered non-target circulating blood cells significantly decreased. The resultant QDs530-Ala revealed a better structural integrity in tissues and a longer retention time in hemolymph than that of QDs530 after exposure via the dorsal vessel. On the other hand, QDs530-Ala significantly reduced the toxicity to hemocytes, silk gland, and fat body, and reduced the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tissues.
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Xue-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano &Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano &Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Yuan
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yang-Hu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Sima
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|Research Center of Cooperative Innovation for Functional Organic/Polymer Material Micro/Nanofabrication, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Ke-Qin
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano &Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.|National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk (NESER), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000187:drug effects*; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000187:drug effects; D023421:Models, Animal; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000737:chemistry; D013691:Tellurium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013691:Tellurium