Interactions between N-acetyl-l-cysteine protected CdTe quantum dots and doxorubicin through spectroscopic method

• CdTe quantum dots with the diameter of 3–5 nm were synthesized in aqueous solution.
• The modified CdTe quantum dots showed well fluorescence properties.
• The interaction between the CdTe quantum dots and doxorubicin (DR) was investigated.

N-acetyl-l-cysteine protected cadmium telluride quantum dots with a diameter of 3–5 nm were synthesized in aqueous solution. The interaction between N-acetyl-l-cysteine/cadmium telluride quantum dots and doxorubicin was investigated by ultraviolet–visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy at physiological conditions (pH 7.2, 37 °C). The results indicate that electron transfer has occurred between N-acetyl-l-cysteine/cadmium telluride quantum dots and doxorubicin under light illumination. The quantum dots react readily with doxorubicin to form a N-acetyl-l-cysteine/cadmium telluride-quantum dots/doxorubicin complex via electrostatic attraction between the NH3+ moiety of doxorubicin and the COO− moiety of N-acetyl-l-cysteine/cadmium telluride quantum dots. The interaction of N-acetyl-l-cysteine/cadmium telluride-quantum dots/doxorubicin complex with bovine serum albumin was studied as well, showing that the complex might induce the conformation change of bovine serum due to changes in microenvironment of bovine serum.

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