Issue 15, 2018

Cytotoxicity studies of selected cadmium-based quantum dots on 2D vs. 3D cell cultures

Abstract

In our work, the cytotoxicity of selected, cadmium-based quantum dots with various surface architectures was studied on 3D spheroids. A specially designed microsystem as a tool for three-dimensional cell culture and nanoparticle toxicity evaluation was used for this aim. Two types of hydrophilic quantum dots with different surface charges at physiological pH were examined: CdTe-capped with ω-mercaptocarboxylic acid (COO-terminated) and CdSeS/ZnS-glucosamine (–OH-terminated). We studied the influence of five different concentrations of nanoparticles within the range of 5 to 100 μM in order to assess dose-dependent toxic effects of the selected quantum dots on cellular spheroids as a more realistic (in vivo-like) model of human tissue. The obtained results of cytotoxicity were compared with the results for a standard, two-dimensional model – a cell monolayer. In the case of three-dimensional structures of various cell lines (normal MRC-5 and tumor A549) no significant differences in cytotoxicity caused by the tested nanoparticles have been noticed. The comparative studies revealed the enhanced biocompatibility of CdSeS/ZnS-OH quantum dots resulting from the presence of an uncharged ligand of biomimetic character on their surface. It was also found that the cytotoxicity of the same quantum dots depends on the cell culture model on which the tests were conducted. Significantly higher cytotoxicity of the tested nanomaterial was observed when experiments were carried out with the use of cell monolayers. Based on the obtained results, we claim that cytotoxicity studies of nanomaterials conducted on standard 2D cell monolayers are overestimated. In our opinion, reliable in vitro studies on the biological activity of nanoparticles require application of 3D cell cultures.

Graphical abstract: Cytotoxicity studies of selected cadmium-based quantum dots on 2D vs. 3D cell cultures

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Apr 2018
Accepted
24 Jun 2018
First published
25 Jun 2018

New J. Chem., 2018,42, 12787-12795

Cytotoxicity studies of selected cadmium-based quantum dots on 2D vs. 3D cell cultures

I. Grabowska-Jadach, A. Zuchowska, M. Olesik, M. Drozd, M. Pietrzak, E. Malinowska and Z. Brzozka, New J. Chem., 2018, 42, 12787 DOI: 10.1039/C8NJ01986J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements