Quantum dots-hyperbranched polyether hybrid nanospheres towards delivery and real-time detection of nitric oxide

•QDs-mHP-NO fluorescent probe was prepared.•The QDs-mHP-NO probe is capable of releasing NO.•The QDs-mHP-NO probe can quantitatively detecting the release of NO in real time.•The low cell-toxicity of QDs-mHP-NO nanospheres was verified.

In this work, novel hybrid nanosphere vehicles were synthesized for nitric oxide (NO) donating and real-time detection. The hybrid nanosphere vehicles consist of cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) as NO fluorescent probes, and the modified hyperbranched polyether (mHP)-based diazeniumdiolates as NO donors, respectively. The nanospheres have spherical outline with dimension of ~ 127 nm. The data of systematic characterization demonstrated that the mHP-based hybrid nanosphere vehicles (QDs-mHP-NO) can release and real-time detect NO with the low limit of 25 nM, based on fluorescence quenching mechanism. The low cell-toxicity of QDs-mHP-NO nanospheres was verified by means of MTT assay on L929 cells viability. The QDs-mHP-NO nanospheres provide perspectives for designing a new class of biocompatible NO donating and imaging systems.