RGDS-conjugated CdSeTe/CdS quantum dots as near-infrared fluorescent probe: preparation, characterization and bioapplication

In the experiments, high-quality, water-soluble and near-infrared (NIR)-emitting CdSeTe and CdSeTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) were successfully prepared. The average size of CdSeTe⁄CdS QDs was 7.68 nm and CdSeTe QDs was 4.33 nm. Arginine-glycine-aspartic-serine acid (RGDS) peptides were linked to CdSeTe/CdS QDs by N-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-N′-ehtylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N′-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). The prepared RGDS-tagged NIR CdSeTe/CdS QDs (denoted as RGDS-CdSeTe/CdS) had an average diameter of 24.83 nm and were used for cancer cell immunofluorescence imaging. The characteristics of RGDS-conjugated CdSeTe/CdS such as morphology, structure, spectra, stability, cytotoxicity, and near-infrared microscopic imaging were investigated in detail. HepG2 cells were incubated with the novel fluorescent probe (RGDS-CdSeTe/CdS), which realized immunofluorescence targeting and imaging. The results reported here open up new perspectives for integrin-targeted near-infrared imaging and may aid in tumor detection including imaging-guided surgery.