Tumor microenvironment-responsive diagnosis and treatment of integrated drug-loaded CdTe quantum dots for treatment tumors

Abstract The acidic tumor microenvironment is a common feature of tumors, and boric acid-functionalized quantum dots (BA-QDs) exhibit pH-sensitive boron affinity effects and fluorescence emission characteristics. In this study, CdTe QDs were prepared using the water phase synthesis method. Additionally, BA-QDs were prepared by modifying QDs with 4-mercaptophenylboric acid. Hesperetin, baicalein, quercetin, and other model drugs were used, with QDs and BA-QDs serving as carriers, to create a drug-loaded system of QDs with tumor microenvironment-responsive drug release performance. The physical and chemical properties were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, etc. Our findings showed that the synthesis of drug-loaded QDs with a uniform particle size was successful. The experiments involved studying the adsorption kinetics of the QDs and the degree of dissolution of the drug-loaded QDs in vitro. BA-QDs exhibited pH-responsive drug release and fluorescence emission properties. In vitro cell experiments were conducted to examine the uptake and imaging effects of QDs and BA-QDs at the cell level. The results showed that both QDs and BA-QDs exhibited effective imaging at the cell level. Moreover, the three drug-loaded BA-QDs inhibited HepG2 cancer cells by about 80%, indicating a significant inhibitory effect on cancer cells. Here, we developed a universal new technology for tumor diagnosis and treatment, provided innovative approaches for targeted cancer diagnosis and treatment, and broadened the application scope of nanofluorescence technology.