Optical imaging and gene transfection potential of linear polyethylenimine-coated Ag2 S near-infrared quantum dots
Turkish Journal of Biology, cilt.48, sa.5, ss.338-347, 2024 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 48 Sayı: 5
- Basım Tarihi: 2024
- Doi Numarası: 10.55730/1300-0152.2709
- Dergi Adı: Turkish Journal of Biology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.338-347
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Ag2S near-infrared quantum dots (Ag2S NIR QDs), biocompatible, linear polyethylenimine (LPEI), green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, theranostic nanoparticle, cancer therapy
- Sağlık Bilimleri Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background/aim: The application of biocompatible heavy metal-free and cationic Ag2 S NIR quantum dots (QDs), which have intense luminosity in the 700–900 nm medical range, as a nonviral gene delivery system paves the way to overcome autofluorescence and easily track the delivery of genes in real time. Materials and methods: The newly developed small and colloidally stable 2-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped Ag2 S aqueous quantum dots electrostatically complexed with linear polyethyleneimine (Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI) were investigated for the first time both as a strong fluorescent probe and as a vector for nonviral gene delivery for the highest tracking of the system and delivery of genes into the nuclei of different cancer cells. The synthesized Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI quantum dots demonstrated strong optical imaging properties and were used to deliver a green fluorescent protein (GFP) plasmid as a standard gene. Results: For Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI-pDNA nanoparticles, an N/P ratio of 20 was the ideal transfection efficiency. Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI was substantially more compatible with HEK 293T cells than the free 25-kDa linear polyethylenimine (LPEI). Next, the transfection efficiency evaluation of pGFP genes with synthesized Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI and LPEI in different cancer cells demonstrated their high potential as a theranostic cancer gene delivery system. Conclusion: This is the first instance of gene transfection and optical imaging carried out in vitro using Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI QDs. Overall, the newly synthesized highly biocompatible and trackable Ag2 S@2MPA/LPEI QDs can be an effective and biocompatible theranostic system for cancer gene therapy.