Synthesis, characterization, and pharmacological evaluation of dextrin capped cadmium sulfide quantum dots conjugated with temozolomide for drug delivery and imaging application

Lourdes Rodríguez-Fragoso 1, *, Erick Ayala-Calvillo 1, Frida Leo-Campos 1, Gerardo González de la Cruz 2, Patricia Rodríguez 2 and Alfonso Leija Salas 3, *

1 Faculty of Pharmacy, Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico.
2 Department of Physics, CINVESTAV - I.P.N. PO Box 14-740, 07000. Mexico City, Mexico.
3 Center for Genomic Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Av. Universidad 2001 Col. Chamilpa, CP62210, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 2023, 03(02), 027–037.
Article DOI: 10.53346/wjast.2023.3.2.0066
Publication history: 
Received on 10 July 2023; revised on 26 August 2023; accepted on 28 August 2023
 
Abstract: 
Quantum dots (QDs) of cadmium sulfide semiconductor capped with dextrin and bioconjugated with temozolomide (CdS/Dx+TMZ) were used to target and provide imaging of glioma cells. CdS/Dx+TMZ QDs were in the range of 6.5 nm in size and exhibited an intense fluorescence emission in the green spectrum, which allowed us to monitor fluorescence imaging in a rat glioma cell line. The results showed that glioma cells efficiently took up the CdS/Dx+TMZ QDs, which had a large accumulation time in cells and were distributed in both the cytoplasm and nucleus, where the pharmacological drug effects were enhanced. CdS/Dx+TMZ QDs were more cytotoxic than TMZ and CdS/Dx alone. Glioma cells treated with 100 µM CdS/Dx+TMZ QDs showed both an increase in size (cytoplasm and nucleus) and in the number of cell deaths by apoptosis. The morphological analysis showed the presence of binucleated cells and membrane blebbing, as well as apoptotic bodies. This study confirmed the effective cellular uptake of CdS/Dx QDs bioconjugated with TMZ and their pharmacological effects in a glioma cell line. Our conclusion is that CdS/Dx+ TMZ QDs could be simultaneously used as drug delivery and cell monitoring system for the treatment of GBM and other brain tumors.
 
Keywords: 
CdS/Dx; Temozolomide; Glioblastoma; Pharmacological evaluation
 
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