title: The Reproductive Toxicity of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots on the in vivo Ovarian Function and in vitro Fertilization.
abstract: Despite the usefulness of quantum dots (QDs) in biomedicine and optoelectronics, their toxicity risks remain a major obstacle for clinical usages. Hence, we studied the reproductive toxicity of CdSe/ZnS QDs on two aspects, (i) in vivo ovarian functions and (ii) in vitro fertilization process. The body weight, estrous cycles, biodistribution of QDs, and oocyte maturation are evaluated on female mice treated with QDs. The mRNA level of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHr) and luteinizing hormone receptor (LHr) in ovaries are assayed. Then, the matured cumulus-oocyte-complexes are harvested to co-culture with in vitro capacitated sperms, and the in vitro fertilization is performed. The result revealed that QDs are found in the ovaries, but no changes are detected on the behavior and estrous cycle on the female mice. The mRNA downregulations of FSHr and LHr are observed and the number of matured oocytes has shown a significant decrease when the QDs dosage was above 1.0 pmol/day. Additionally, we found the presence of QDs has reduced the in vitro fertilization success rate. This study highly suggests that the exposure of CdSe/ZnS QDs to female mice can cause adverse effects to the ovary functions and such QDs may have limited applications in clinical usage.
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.|CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Singapore 637553, Singapore.
authors.forename: Gaixia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The Research Institute of Urinary and Reproduction, The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Key laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guimiao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518053, China.
authors.forename: Suxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yueyue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.|School of Medicine, The Research Institute of Urinary and Reproduction, The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Key laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.|School of Medicine, The Research Institute of Urinary and Reproduction, The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Key laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Junle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Danni
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The Research Institute of Urinary and Reproduction, The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Key laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Siping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education/Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hanben
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen 518020, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shujiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: CINTRA CNRS/NTU/THALES, Singapore 637553, Singapore.|School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The Research Institute of Urinary and Reproduction, The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Key laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D019187:Cadmium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000187:drug effects; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000633:toxicity* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011974:Receptors, LH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000633:toxicity*; D014018:Tissue Distribution / Q000187:drug effects; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D015053:Zygote / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019187:Cadmium Compounds; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D011974:Receptors, LH; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C058667:cadmium selenide; C031238:zinc sulfide