Nanoparticle-Doped Hybrid Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules with Controlled Photoluminescence for Potential Bioimaging Applications

Abstract

Fluorescent imaging is widely used in the diagnosis and tracking of the distribution, interaction, and transformation processes at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. To be detectable, delivery systems should exhibit a strong and bright fluorescence. Quantum dots (QDs) are highly photostable fluorescent semiconductor nanocrystals with wide absorption spectra and narrow, size-tunable emission spectra, which make them suitable fluorescent nanolabels to be embedded into microparticles used as bioimaging and theranostic agents. The layer-by-layer deposition approach allows the entrapping of QDs, resulting in bright fluorescent microcapsules with tunable surface charge, size, rigidity, and functional properties. Here, we report on the engineering and validation of the structural and photoluminescent characteristics of nanoparticle-doped hybrid microcapsules assembled by the deposition of alternating oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, water-soluble PEGylated core/shell QDs with a cadmium selenide core and a zinc sulfide shell (CdSe/ZnS), and carboxylated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) onto calcium carbonate microtemplates. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the layer-by-layer approach to designing QD-, MNP-doped microcapsules with controlled photoluminescence properties, and pave the way for the further development of next-generation bioimaging agents based on hybrid materials for continuous fluorescence imaging.

Cytotoxic Effects of Doxorubicin on Cancer Cells and Macrophages Depend Differently on the Microcarrier Structure

“…Multilayer polymer microstructures have been shown to be promising candidate carriers for targeted delivery and the modified release of drugs, as well as contrast and fluorescent detection probes for the in vitro and in vivo imaging of the delivery system [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. Currently, this is one of the most promising approaches in the field of personalized tumor diagnosis and therapy.…”

Interaction of Serum and Plasma Proteins with Polyelectrolyte Microparticles with Core/Shell and Shell-Only Structures

“…In the development of drug delivery systems, microparticles offer several advantages, such as the capacities for retaining loaded drugs, controlled drug release, and encapsulation of low-molecular-weight drugs and biomolecules. , Layer-by-layer deposition of the shells allows controlling the resultant characteristics of the MPs, including their size, charge, surface chemistry, structure, and rigidity. − A wide variety of cores, polymers, and surface groups are used to fabricate MPs finely tuned for specific applications . During the fabrication of the MPs, different agents can be introduced into the polyelectrolyte shell, such as fluorescent labels, quantum dots, and magnetic particles, , and their surface can be functionalized with capture molecules, , which extends the use of the MPs in bioimaging and smart drug delivery.…”

“… 4 − 6 A wide variety of cores, polymers, and surface groups are used to fabricate MPs finely tuned for specific applications. 7 During the fabrication of the MPs, different agents can be introduced into the polyelectrolyte shell, such as fluorescent labels, 8 quantum dots, 9 and magnetic particles, 10 , 11 and their surface can be functionalized with capture molecules, 12 , 13 which extends the use of the MPs in bioimaging and smart drug delivery.…”

Interaction of Human Serum and Plasma Proteins with Polyelectrolyte Microcapsules of Different Structures

“…A wide variety of cores, polymers, and surface groups are used to fabricate MPs finely tuned for specific applications 7 . During the fabrication of the MPs, different agents can be introduced into the polyelectrolyte shell, such as fluorescent labels 8 , quantum dots 9 , and magnetic particles 10,11 , and their surface can be functionalized with capture molecules 12,13 , which extends the use of the MPs in bioimaging and smart drug delivery.…”