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Cadmium sulfide quantum dots modified with the human transferrin protein siderophiline for targeted imaging of breast cancer cells

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Abstract

We describe the fairly easy preparation of thiol stabilized water soluble cadmium sulfide quantum dots and the modification of their surface with the human transferrin protein siderophiline. The particles are shown to enable targeted imaging of human breast adenocarcinoma cell (type MCF7). The fluorescence quantum yield of the modified QDs is ~0.74. The particles have an average diameter of 8.1 ± 0.1 nm as determined in solution by dynamic light scattering. The cancer cells were imaged by fluorescence microscopy of the QDs which display strong green fluorescenece under 350 nm excitation. A cytotoxicity assay showed 66 and 78 % cell viabilities, respectively, after 24 h of incubation with the QDs and modified QDs.

Water-soluble cadmium sulfide QDs were modified with siderophiline (transferrin) and applied to fluorescent and targeted imaging of breast cancer cells. Left: control (human breast cancer cells (type MCF-7) were treated with QDs without siderophiline); right: human breast cancer cells (type MCF-7) treated with siderophiline modified QDs

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Nanochemistry, Faculty of Sciences & Modern Technologies, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, P.O.Box: 76135-117, Kerman, Iran

    Parisa Pedram & Mohamad Mahani

  2. Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Science, High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, 7631133131, Kerman, Iran

    Masoud Torkzadeh-Mahani

  3. Department of New Materials, Institute of Science, High Technology and Environmental Sciences, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, 7631133131, Kerman, Iran

    Zahra Hasani

  4. State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China

    Huangxian Ju

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  1. Parisa Pedram
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  2. Mohamad Mahani
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  3. Masoud Torkzadeh-Mahani
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  4. Zahra Hasani
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  5. Huangxian Ju
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Correspondence to Mohamad Mahani.

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Pedram, P., Mahani, M., Torkzadeh-Mahani, M. et al. Cadmium sulfide quantum dots modified with the human transferrin protein siderophiline for targeted imaging of breast cancer cells. Microchim Acta 183, 67–71 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1593-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1593-6

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