Detection of anthracycline antibiotics based on quantum dot luminescence quenching

Abstract

Mitoxantrone (MTX) is an effective anticancer agent with fewer side effects than other anthracyclines, but requires careful monitoring due to its complex pharmacokinetics. The structural features of MTX complicate its quantification, since it forms self-associates and binds tightly to proteins and DNA. This can be done using an approach based on quenching the luminescence of quantum dots (QDs). To do this, it is necessary to select QDs with significant quenching of their luminescence in the presence of MTX. A detailed study of the process of their interaction will optimize the analysis. Two types of semiconductor luminescent QDs were studied as detector systems, sensitive to MTX presence: (i) a series of size-selected fractions of non-cadmium AgInS/ZnS QDs with a wide emission spectrum and long lifetime and (ii) alloyed CdZnSeS and CdZnSeS/ZnS QDs with a narrow emission spectrum and short lifetime. This made it possible to evaluate the effect of the QDs composition on the efficiency of luminescence quenching by MTX. The shelling of initial semiconductor cores (AgInS or CdZnSeS) with ZnS improves the luminescent core passivation and quantum yield. For both types of QDs the dependence of the luminescence intensity and lifetime from MTX concentration was studied. Presumably, the quenching process occurs predominantly by a static mechanism. MTX limits of detection 3 and 5 nM were achieved for AgInS/ZnS and CdZnSeS/ZnS QDs, respectively. Thus, the application of luminescent QDs as a direct detector system greatly accelerates and simplifies the detection of the anthracycline cytostatic agent MTX.
The work is supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project 23-13-00380).

Speaker

Daria Tsyupka
Saratov State University
Russia

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