Magnetic and Highly Luminescent Heterostructures of Gd3+/ZnO Conjugated to GCIS/ZnS Quantum Dots for Multimodal Imaging

Author(s)

da Silva, Bruna Lallo ^[1] ; Lemaire, Laurent ^{[2, 3]} ; Benoit, Jean-Pierre ^[2] ; Borges, Fernanda Hediger ^[4] ; Goncalves, Rogeria Rocha ^[4] ; Amantino, Camila Fernanda ^[1] ; Primo, Fernando Lucas ^[1] ; Chiavacci, Leila Aparecida ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Drugs & Med, UNESP, Highway Araraquara Jau, BR-14800903 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Angers, SFR ICAT, CNRS, MINT, INSERM, F-49000 Angers - France

^[3] Univ Angers, PRISM, SFR ICAT, F-49000 Angers - France

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Quim, FFCLRP, Lab Mat Luminescentes Micro & Nanoestruturados Ma, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: NANOMATERIALS; v. 11, n. 7 JUL 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

In recent years, the use of quantum dots (Qdots) to obtain biological images has attracted attention due to their excellent luminescent properties and the possibility of their association with contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, Gd3+/ZnO (ZnOGd) were conjugated with Qdots composed of a gadolinium-copper-indium-sulphur core covered with a ZnS shell (GCIS/ZnS Qdots). This conjugation is an innovation that has not yet been described in the literature, and which aims to improve Qdot photoluminescent properties. Structural and morphological Qdots features were obtained by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA). The photoluminescent properties were examined by emission (PL) and excitation (PLE) spectra. A new ZnOGd and GCIS/ZnS (ZnOGd-GCIS/ZnS) nanomaterial was synthesized with tunable optical properties depending on the ratio between the two native Qdots. A hydrophilic or lipophilic coating, using 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) or hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HTMS) on the surface of ZnOGd-GCIS/ZnS Qdots, was carried out before assessing their efficiency as magnetic resonance contrast agents. ZnOGd-GCIS/ZnS had excellent luminescence and MRI properties. The new Qdots developed ZnOGd-GCIS/ZnS, mostly constituted of ZnOGd (75%), which had less cytotoxicity when compared to ZnOGd, as well as greater cellular uptake. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/14164-9 - Development of theranostic self-assemblies based on quantum dots and ferrocene
• Grantee: Bruna Lallo da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 17/21456-3 - Development of hybrid theranostic systems
• Grantee: Leila Aparecida Chiavacci Favorin
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 17/16074-4 - Development of terostatic systems based on ZnO doped with GD, Mn, Co and lipidic nanocapsules
• Grantee: Bruna Lallo da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate