Fluorescence-tagged metallothionein with CdTe quantum dots analyzed by the chip-CE technique

Abstract

Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescence nanoparticles (NPs) with unique optic properties which allow their use as probes in chemical, biological, immunological, and molecular imaging. QDs linked with target ligands such as peptides or small molecules can be used as tumor biomarkers. These particles are a promising tool for selective, fast, andsensitive tagging and imaging in medicine. In thisstudy, an attempt was made to use QDs as a marker forhuman metallothionein (MT) isoforms 1 and 2. Fourkinds of CdTe QDs of different sizes bioconjugatedwith MT were analyzed using the chip-CE technique.Based on the results, it can be concluded that MT iswilling to interact with QDs, and the chip-CE technique enables the observation of their complexes.It was also observed that changes ranging roughly6–7 kDa, a value corresponding to the MT monomer,depend on the hydrodynamic diameters of QDs; also,the MT sample without cadmium interacted strongerwith QDs than MT saturated with cadmium. Resultsshow that MT is willing to interact with smaller QDs(blue CdTe) rather than larger ones QDs (red CdTe).To our knowledge, chip-CE has not previously beenapplied in the study of CdTe QDs interaction with MT.Quantum dots (QDs) are fluorescence nanoparticles (NPs) with unique optic properties which allow their use as probes in chemical, biological, immunological, and molecular imaging. QDs linked with target ligands such as peptides or small molecules can be used as tumor biomarkers. These particles are a promising tool for selective, fast, andsensitive tagging and imaging in medicine. In thisstudy, an attempt was made to use QDs as a marker forhuman metallothionein (MT) isoforms 1 and 2. Fourkinds of CdTe QDs of different sizes bioconjugatedwith MT were analyzed using the chip-CE technique.Based on the results, it can be concluded that MT iswilling to interact with QDs, and the chip-CE technique enables the observation of their complexes.It was also observed that changes ranging roughly6–7 kDa, a value corresponding to the MT monomer,depend on the hydrodynamic diameters of QDs; also,the MT sample without cadmium interacted strongerwith QDs than MT saturated with cadmium. Resultsshow that MT is willing to interact with smaller QDs(blue CdTe) rather than larger ones QDs (red CdTe).To our knowledge, chip-CE has not previously beenapplied in the study of CdTe QDs interaction with MT.