Quinone-Modified Mn-Doped ZnS Quantum Dots for Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Sensing of Human Cancer Cells That Overexpress NQO1

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2015 Nov 25;7(46):25961-9. doi: 10.1021/acsami.5b09244. Epub 2015 Nov 13.

Abstract

Early detection of cancer cells in a rapid and sensitive approach is one of the great challenges in modern clinical cancer care. This study has demonstrated the first example of a rapid, selective, and sensitive phosphorescence probe based on phosphorescence energy transfer (PET) for cancer-associated human

Nad(p)h: quinone oxidoreductase isozyme 1 (NQO1). An efficient room-temperature phosphorescence NQO1 probe was constructed by using Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (Mn:ZnS QDs) as donors and trimethylquinone propionic acids as acceptors. Phosphorescence quenching of Mn:ZnS QDs from the Mn:ZnS QDs to a covalently bonded quinone was achieved through PET. Phosphorescence of Mn:ZnS QDs was turned on by the rapid reduction-initiated removal of the quinone quencher by NQO1. This probe shows low cellular toxicity and can rapidly distinguish between NQO1-expressing and -nonexpressing cancer cell lines through phosphorescence imaging.

Keywords: NQO1; cancer cells; phosphorescence energy transfer; quantum dots; room temperature phosphorescence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Energy Transfer
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Luminescent Measurements / methods*
  • Manganese / chemistry*
  • NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / metabolism*
  • Quantum Dots / chemistry*
  • Quantum Dots / ultrastructure
  • Quinones / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
  • Sulfides / chemistry*
  • Temperature*
  • Time Factors
  • Zinc Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

  • Quinones
  • Sulfides
  • Zinc Compounds
  • Manganese
  • NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)
  • NQO1 protein, human
  • zinc sulfide