title: Water-Solubilizing Hydrophobic ZnAgInSe/ZnS QDs with Tumor-Targeted cRGD-Sulfobetaine-PIMA-Histamine Ligands via a Self-Assembly Strategy for Bioimaging.
abstract: Exploring the organic-to-aqueous phase transfer of quantum dots (QDs) is significant for achieving their versatile applications in biomedical fields. In this thematic issue, surface modification, size control, and biocompatibility of QDs and QDs-based nanocomposites are core problems. Herein, the new highly fluorescent tumor-targeted QDs-clusters consisting of ZnAgInSe/ZnS (ZAISe/ZnS) QDs and sulfobetaine-PIMA-histamine (SPH) polymer with the ανβ3integrin receptor cyclic RGD (c-RGD) were developed via ligand exchange and an accompanying self-assembly process. It was found that the structure of RGD-SPH QDs-clusters was propitious to reduce the capture of reticulo-endothelial system (RES) in virtue of external stealth ligands, and benefit to selectively accumulate at the tumor site after intravenous injection via active tumor targeting cooperated with the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. In the meantime, those clusters also recognized and enriched the cell surface when cocultured with the ανβ3integrin receptor overexpressed malignant cells (U87MG tumor). On the basis of the results, fabricating mutil-functional nanocomposites integrated with the long-term circulation and dual-targeting effects should be an interesting strategy for imaging cancer in vitro and in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Yanan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Yueqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Dechun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, and ‡Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Dawei
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1391-1845
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D001622:Betaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006632:Histamine; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008024:Ligands; D009369:Neoplasms; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D045663:Quantum Dots; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D014867:Water; D017967:Zinc Compounds
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D018036:Selenium Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D014867:Water; D011193:Potassium Iodide; D001622:Betaine; D006632:Histamine; C483727:sulfobetaine; C031238:zinc sulfide
keywords: QDs-clusters; optical imaging; quaternary quantum dots; self-assembly; tumor targeting polymer