Radioiodine labeled CdSe/CdS quantum dots: Lectin targeted dual probes

CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QD) were synthesized and bioconjugated with Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) lectin (Lec). Mannose triflate and cysteamine molecules (MTC) were also utilized to prepare MTC-QDs and MTC-QDs-Lec probes as well as Lec bound QDs. Afterwards; potential use of these nanoparticles as radiolabeled fluorescence nano-probes for the cell imaging studies has been investigated. Biological activities of I-125(-), I-125-MTC-QDs, MTC-QDs- Lec-I-125, QDs-Lec-I-125 and Lec-I-125 were examined on various cancer cell lines such as Caco-2, MCF-7 and A-549 in terms of cell incorporation. QDs-Lec-I-125 exhibited the highest cell incorporation on whole cell lines. In addition, the QDs-Lec-I-131, was used for in vivo imaging. The whole body distribution of the radiolabeled QDs on New Zealand rabbits and Balb C mice were examined by taking dynamic and static images. Radioactivity cleared from the kidneys and the bladder, while significant amount radioactivity was retained in the heart and liver within 24 h