Semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots) are promising fluorescent markers, but it is very little known about interaction of quantum dots with biological molecules. In this study, interaction of CdTe quantum dots coated with thioglycolic acid (TGA) with bovine serum albumin was investigated. Steady state spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering methods were used. It was explored how bovine serum albumin affects stability and spectral properties of quantum dots in aqueous media. CdTe–TGA quantum dots in aqueous solution appeared to be not stable and precipitated. Interaction with bovine serum albumin significantly enhanced stability and photoluminescence quantum yield of quantum dots and prevented quantum dots from aggregating.

The uptake and distribution of negatively charged superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (SPIONs) in mouse embryonic fibroblasts NIH3T3, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal influenced by SPIONs injected into experimental animals, were visualized and investigated. Cellular uptake and distribution of the SPIONs in NIH3T3 after staining with Prussian Blue were investigated by a bright-field microscope equipped with digital color camera. SPIONs were localized in vesicles, mostly placed near the nucleus. Toxicity of SPION nanoparticles tested with cell viability assay (XTT) was estimated. The viability of NIH3T3 cells remains approximately 95% within 3–24 h of incubation, and only a slight decrease of viability was observed after 48 h of incubation. MRI studies on Wistar rats using a clinical 1.5 T MRI scanner were showing that SPIONs give a negative contrast in the MRI. The dynamic MRI measurements of the SPION clearance from the injection site shows that SPIONs slowly disappear from injection sites and only a low concentration of nanoparticles was completely eliminated within three weeks. No functionalized SPIONs accumulate in cells by endocytic mechanism, none accumulate in the nucleus, and none are toxic at a desirable concentration. Therefore, they could be used as a dual imaging agent: as contrast agents for MRI and for traditional optical biopsy by using Prussian Blue staining.

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Co-SPIONs are not cytotoxic to cancer cells, at least when used at a concentration of up to 0.95μg/mL. Co-SPIONs have a dose-dependent effect on the clonogenic potential and ESA marker expression in A2780 cells. Magnetic detection of low concentrations of Co-SPIONS in cancer cells is a promising tool for further applications of these nanoparticles in cancer diagnosis and treatment; however, extensive research in this field is needed.

The excitation-related problems in photodynamic therapy of cancer might be solved by combining two-photon (TP) irradiation and quantum dots (QDs) as effective energy donors for conventional photosensitizers (PS). Here, it is demonstrated for the first time that QD-chlorin e6 (Ce6) complex formed due to the hydrophobic interaction between Ce6 molecules and lipid coating of QDs can be effectively excited via TP irradiation at 1030 nm, which spectrally coincides with the biological tissue optical window. TP absorption cross-section for free QDs and Ce6 at 1030 nm was 3325 and 13 Goeppert-Mayer, respectively. Upon TP excitation of QD-Ce6 solution, the fluorescence band of bound Ce6 molecules was observed via energy transfer from excited QDs. Increasing concentration of Ce6 resulted in quenching of the photoluminescence of QDs and an increase in the fluorescence intensity of bound Ce6 molecules. These intensity changes coincided well with those observed upon single-photon excitation of QD-Ce6 solution when QDs alone are excited. The efficiency of energy transfer in QD-Ce6 complex upon TP excitation was about 80% (QD∶Ce61∶5). These results indicate that the effective excitation of PS with a low TP absorption cross-section is possible in such type noncovalent complexes via energy transfer from TP excited QDs.