CdSe Quantum Dots in Human Models Derived from ALS Patients: Characterization, Nuclear Penetration Studies and Multiplexing

Abstract

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) are valuable tools for deciphering molecular mechanisms in cells. Their conjugation with antibodies offers a unique staining source with optimal characteristics, including increased photostability and narrow emission spectra, allowing for improved multiplexing capabilities using a single excitation source. In combination with pathology models derived from patients, they have great potential to contribute to quantitative molecular profiling and promote personalized medicine. However, the commercial availability of diverse CdSe QDs is still limited and characterization techniques must be performed to these materials or the conjugates developed in the lab to assure a proper function and reproducibility. Furthermore, while there is significant data of QDs experiments in cell lines, the literature with primary human cells is scarce, and QD behavior in these systems may be different. Rigorous characterization data of commercially available QDs and their conjugates with biomolecules of interest is needed in order to establish their potential for target labelling and expand their use among research labs. Here we compare the characterization and labelling performance of different QD conjugates in SH-SY5Y cell line, fibroblasts and immortalized lymphocytes derived from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.

Bio-Conjugated Quantum Dots for Cancer Research: Detection and Imaging

“…QDs-based signal probes are of great interest and have been tested in numerous biotechnological applications. Some of the early and most successful uses of QDs have been in immunofluorescence labeling of fixed cells and tissues (15,16), immuno-staining of membrane proteins (17,18), microtubules (19), nuclear antigens (20,21), and fluorescence in situ hybridization of chromosomes or combed DNA (22, 23) (Figure 3).…”

Curvature preference of cubic CsPbBr3 quantum dots embedded onto phospholipid bilayer membranes

“…17–19 However, virtually all state-of-the-art research on quantum dots for cellular imaging involves CdSe or CdSe core/ZnS shell (CdSe/ZnS) QDs, which have a quasi-spherical shape. 20 While these spherical QDs are common due to their ease of synthesis and widespread commercial availability, 21 there is a conspicuous lack of study into lipid bilayers embedded with quantum dots other than CdSe or CdSe/ZnS, and, by extension, a gap in understanding how non-spherical particles can be distributed within a cell membrane. In this work, we present a synthetic analog to curvature-driven protein aggregation – namely, a system consisting of cubic CsPbBr 3 quantum dots embedded within GUV membranes of variable curvature.…”