Preparation of near-infrared quantum dots-herceptin conjugates for cancer imaging

• Published in: Macromolecular research Vol. 18; no. 7; pp. 641 - 647
• Main Authors: Lee, Dong Kwan, Lee, Yong-kyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg The Polymer Society of Korea 01.07.2010; 한국고분자학회
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Nanochemistry; Nanotechnology; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Soft and Granular Matter; 고분자공학; cancer therapy; targeting; HER-2 receptor; near-infrared quantum dot; imaging
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673
• DOI: 10.1007/s13233-010-0707-6

High-quality, near-infrared CdTe/CdSe core/shell quantum dots (QDs) formed in organic solvents can be dissolved completely in water using amphiphilic polymers, such as octylamine-modified poly(acrylic acid). The native hydrophobic ligands of QDs may be retained and used to interact with an amphiphilic polymer. Neutralized, octylamine-modified poly(acrylic acid) complexes hydrophobically capped CdTe/CdSe QDs, making them watersoluble. Fluorescence spectrophotometry showed that the quantum dot-polymer composites have strong photo-luminescence and are very stable in aqueous solutions. The surfaces of the water-soluble QDs can be conjugated to biomolecules, such as antibodies that target the human breast cancer cell line SK-BR-3, which is over expresses the HER-2 receptor (epidermal growth factor receptor-2). QD-Bioconjugates were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence photospectroscopy and confocal microscopy. Finally, it was confirmed that QDs-antibody bioconjugates efficiently labeled the cell membranes (targeted to HER-2 receptors) by comparing the water soluble QDs and QDs-antibody bioconjugates.