Therapeutic effect of quantum dots for cancer treatment

Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (Qdots) are well established as a unique category of fluorescent imaging probes due to their superior optical properties over conventional small-molecule dyes. At the same time, there have been major concerns regarding their potential nano-toxicity because high-quality Qdots often contain heavy metal elements. Here, we explore the possibility of converting this drawback for therapeutic applications. Using a human liver hepatocellular carcinoma model, human hepatocyte line model, and the Henrietta Lacks strain of cancer cells, we show that tumour cell growth is inhibited with an IC₅₀ value in the μM range under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, under in vivo conditions, the mean survival time of tumour-bearing mice can be extended by 2.5 times when treated with Qdots. These results demonstrate the possibility of converting nano-toxicity to antitumour activity.