Oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity of quantum dots and influencing factors

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

References

• 1. Alivisatos AP. Perspectives on the physical chemistry of semiconductor nanocrystals. J. Phys. Chem. 100(31), 13226–13239 (1996).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 2. Matea CT, Mocan T, Tabaran F et al. Quantum dots in imaging, drug delivery and sensor applications. Int. J. Nanomed. 12, 5421–5431 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 3. Kumar P, Kim K-H, Bansal V, Kumar S, Dilbaghi N, Kim Y-H. Modern progress and future challenges in nanocarriers for probe applications. Trends Anal. Chem. 86, 235–250 (2017).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 4. Esteve-Turrillas FA, Abad-Fuentes A. Applications of quantum dots as probes in immunosensing of small-sized analytes. Biosens. Bioelectron. 41, 12–29 (2013).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 5. Reshma VG, Mohanan PV. Quantum dots: Applications and safety consequences. J. Lumin. 205, 287–298 (2019).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 6. Su XH, Cheng K, Wang C, Xing L, Wu H, Cheng Z. Image-guided resection of malignant gliomas using fluorescent nanoparticles. Wiley Interdisciplin. Rev. Nanomed. Nanobiotechnol. 5(3), 219–232 (2013).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 7. Bian FK, Sun LY, Cai LJ, Wang Y, Zhao YJ. Quantum dots from microfluidics for nanomedical application. Wiley Interdiscip. Rev. Nanomed. Nanobiotechnol. 11(5), (2019).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 8. Mohammadi R, Naderi-Manesh H, Farzin L et al. Fluorescence sensing and imaging with carbon-based quantum dots for early diagnosis of cancer: a review. J. Pharm. Biomed. Anal. 212, 114628 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 9. Henna TK, Pramod K. Graphene quantum dots redefine nanobiomedicine. Mater. Sci. Eng. C. 110, 110651 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 10. Han GM, Zhao J, Zhang RL et al. Membrane-penetrating carbon quantum dots for imaging nucleic acid structures in live organisms. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 58(21), 7087–7091 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 11. Huang C, Dong H, Su Y et al. Synthesis of carbon quantum dot nanoparticles derived from byproducts in bio-refinery process for cell imaging and in vivo bioimaging. Nanomaterials 9(3), 387 (2019).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 12. Hersh AM, Alomari S, Tyler BM. Crossing the blood–brain barrier: advances in nanoparticle technology for drug delivery in neuro-oncology. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 23(8), 4153 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 13. Garg Y, Kapoor DN, Sharma AK, Bhatia A. Drug delivery systems and strategies to overcome the barriers of brain. Curr. Pharm. Des. 28(8), 619–641 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 14. Wu T, Liang X, He K et al. The NLRP3-mediated neuroinflammatory responses to CdTe quantum dots and the protection of ZnS shell. Int. J. Nanomed. 15, 3217–3233 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 15. Matos B, Martins M, Samamed AC, Sousa D, Ferreira I, Diniz MS. Toxicity evaluation of quantum dots (ZnS and CdS) singly and combined in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 17(1), 232 (2020).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 16. Schieber M, Chandel NS. ROS function in redox signaling and oxidative stress. Curr. Biol. 24(10), R453–R462 (2014).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 17. Pisoschi AM, Pop A, Iordache F, Stanca L, Predoi G, Serban AI. Oxidative stress mitigation by antioxidants – an overview on their chemistry and influences on health status. Eur. J. Med. Chem. 209, (2021).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 18. Deng S, Fu AL, Junaid M et al. Nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (N-GQDs) perturb redox-sensitive system via the selective inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activities in zebrafish. Biomaterials 206, 61–72 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 19. Guo C, Sun L, Chen X, Zhang D. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and neurodegenerative diseases. Neural Regener. Res. 8(21), 2003–2014 (2013).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 20. He KY, Liang X, Wei TT et al. A metabolomics study: CdTe/ZnS quantum dots induce polarization in mice microglia. Chemosphere 246,(2020). •• In this study, a metabolomic analysis was used to reveal the neurotoxicity of the cadmium telluride (CdTe)/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) via microglia polarization.
  Google Scholar
• 21. Chan WH, Shiao NH, Lu PZ. CdSe quantum dots induce apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells via mitochondrial-dependent pathways and inhibition of survival signals. Toxicol. Lett. 167(3), 191–200 (2006).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 22. Wu T, He K, Ang H et al. Impairments of spatial learning and memory following intrahippocampal injection in rats of 3-mercaptopropionic acid-modified CdTe quantum dots and molecular mechanisms. Int. J. Nanomed. 11, 2737–2755 (2016).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 23. Qiang YU, Kun-Gang LI, Xing WEN, Jun LI, Yu-Qiu W. The cytotoxicity mechanism of unmodified cadmium sulfide quantum dots. Asian J. Ecotoxicol. 4(4), 488–493 (2009).
  Google Scholar
• 24. Alexander A, Agrawal M, Uddin A et al. Recent expansions of novel strategies towards the drug targeting into the brain. Int. J. Nanomed. 14, 5895–5909 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 25. Patel MM, Patel BM. Crossing the blood–brain barrier: recent advances in drug delivery to the brain. CNS Drugs 31(2), 109–133 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 26. Pardridge WM. Blood–brain barrier drug targeting: the future of brain drug development. Mol. Interventions 3(2), 90–51 (2003).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 27. Yang S, Chen Z, Zhou P, Xia J, Deng T, Yu C. Carbon dots based on endogenous nutrients with visible and NIR fluorescence to penetrate blood–brain barrier. Carbon 202, 130–140 (2023).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 28. Aaron PA, Gelli A. Harnessing the activity of the fungal metalloprotease, Mpr1, to promote crossing of nanocarriers through the blood–brain barrier. ACS Infect. Dis. 6(1), 138–149 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 29. Tang J, Huang N, Zhang X et al. Aptamer-conjugated PEGylated quantum dots targeting epidermal growth factor receptor variant III for fluorescence imaging of glioma. Int. J. Nanomed. 12, 3899–3911 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 30. Yang HY, Fu Y, Jang M-S et al. CdSe@ZnS/ZnS quantum dots loaded in polymeric micelles as a pH-triggerable targeting fluorescence imaging probe for detecting cerebral ischemic area. Colloids Surf. B. 155, 497–506 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 31. He K, Liang X, Wei T et al. A metabolomics study: CdTe/ZnS quantum dots induce polarization in mice microglia. Chemosphere 246, 125629 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 32. Elder A, Gelein R, Silva V et al. Translocation of inhaled ultrafine manganese oxide particles to the central nervous system. Environ. Health Perspect. 114(8), 1172–1178 (2006).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 33. Huynh H, Upadhyay P, Lopez CH et al. Inhalation of silver silicate nanoparticles leads to transient and differential microglial activation in the rodent olfactory bulb. Toxicol. Pathol. 50(6), 763–775 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 34. Bonaccorso A, Musumeci T, Serapide MF, Pellitteri R, Uchegbu IF, Puglisi G. Nose to brain delivery in rats: effect of surface charge of rhodamine B labeled nanocarriers on brain subregion localization. Colloids Surf. B. 154, 297–306 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 35. Oberdorster E. Manufactured nanomaterials (Fullerenes, C-60) induce oxidative stress in the brain of juvenile largemouth bass. Environ. Health Perspect. 112(10), 1058–1062 (2004).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 36. Hopkins LE, Patchin ES, Chiu PL, Brandenberger C, Smiley-Jewell S, Pinkerton KE. Nose-to-brain transport of aerosolised quantum dots following acute exposure. Nanotoxicology 8(8), 885–893 (2014).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 37. Hunter DD, Dey RD. Identification and neuropeptide content of trigeminal neurons innervating the rat nasal epithelium. Neuroscience 83(2), 591–599 (1998).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 38. Hunter DD, Undem BJ. Identification and substance P content of vagal afferent neurons innervating the epithelium of the guinea pig trachea. Am. J. Respir. Crit Care Med. 159(6), 1943–1948 (1999).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 39. Varmazyari A, Taghizadehghalehjoughi A, Baris O, Yilmaz A, Hacimuftuoglu A. The evaluation of the cortex neurons viability in CdS nanoparticles induced toxicity. Nanomed. J. 8(3), 211–219 (2021).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 40. Garcia-Calvo E, Cabezas-Sanchez P, Luque-Garcia JL. In-vitro and in-vivo evaluation of the molecular mechanisms involved in the toxicity associated to CdSe/ZnS quantum dots exposure. Chemosphere 263, 128170 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 41. Liang X, Wu T, Tang M. Microarray analysis of gene expression differences in microglia after exposure to graphene quantum dots. Sci. Total Environ. 749, 141385 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 42. Li M, Su W, Wu H et al. Targeted tumour theranostics in mice via carbon quantum dots structurally mimicking large amino acids. Nature Biomed. Eng. 4(7), 704–716 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 43. Deng S, Zhang EM, Tao JY et al. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) induce thigmotactic effect in zebrafish larvae via modulating key genes and metabolites related to synaptic plasticity. Toxicology 487, 153462 (2023).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 44. Chen Y, Yang Y, Ou F et al. InP/ZnS QDs exposure induces developmental toxicity in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) embryos. Environ. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 60, 28–36 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 45. Dong C, Wang SN, Ma MH et al. Inhibition of oxidative stress in vivo through enzyme-like activity of carbon dots. Appl. Mater. Today 25, 101178 (2021).
  Google Scholar
• 46. Cao X, Fu M, Du Q, Chang Z. Developmental toxicity of black phosphorus quantum dots in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Chemosphere 335, 139029 (2023).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 47. Guo X, Lie QS, Liu YA et al. Multifunctional selenium quantum dots for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease by reducing a beta-neurotoxicity and oxidative stress and alleviate neuroinflammation. Acs Appl. Mater. Interf. 13(26), 30261–30273 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 48. Ren CX, Li DD, Zhou QX, Hu XG. Mitochondria-targeted TPP-MoS2 with dual enzyme activity provides efficient neuroprotection through M1/M2 microglial polarization in an Alzheimer's disease model. Biomaterials 232, 119752 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 49. Nguyen KC, Zhang Y, Todd J et al. Biodistribution and systemic effects in mice following intravenous administration of cadmium telluride quantum dot nanoparticles. Chem. Res. Toxicol. 32(8), 1491–1503 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 50. Li L, Chen YJ, Xu GX et al. In vivo comparison of the biodistribution and toxicity of InP/ZnS quantum dots with different surface modifications. Int. J. Nanomed. 15, 1951–1965 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 51. He K, Liang X, Wei T et al. DNA damage in BV-2 cells: an important supplement to the neurotoxicity of CdTe quantum dots. J. Appl. Toxicol. 39(3), 525–539 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 52. Bai C, Wei T, Zou L, Liu N, Huang X, Tang M. The apoptosis induced by CdTe quantum dots through the mitochondrial pathway in dorsal root ganglion cell line ND7/23. J. Appl. Toxicol. doi:10.1002/jat.4291 (2022).
  Google Scholar
• 53. Manshian BB, Jimenez J, Himmelreich U, Soenen SJ. Personalized medicine and follow-up of therapeutic delivery through exploitation of quantum dot toxicity. Biomaterials 127, 1–12 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 54. Zhao L, Guo Z, Wu H, Wang Y, Zhang H, Liu R. New insights into the release mechanism of Cd²⁺ from CdTe quantum dots within single cells in situ. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 196,(2020).
  Google Scholar
• 55. Wu T, He K, Zhan Q et al. Partial protection of N-acetylcysteine against MPA-capped CdTe quantum dot-induced neurotoxicity in rat primary cultured hippocampal neurons. Toxicol. Res. 4(6), 1613–1622 (2015).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 56. Buffet PE, Zalouk-Vergnoux A, Poirier L et al. Cadmium sulfide quantum dots induce oxidative stress and behavioral impairments in the marine clam Scrobicularia plana. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 34(7), 1659–1664 (2015).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 57. Zonouzi-Marand M, Naderi M, Kwong RWM. Toxicological assessment of cadmium-containing quantum dots in developing zebrafish: physiological performance and neurobehavioral responses. Aquat. Toxicol. 247,(2022).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 58. Tian J, Hu J, Liu G et al. Altered gene expression of ABC transporters, nuclear receptors and oxidative stress signaling in zebrafish embryos exposed to CdTe quantum dots. Environ. Pollut. 244, 588–599 (2019). • In this work, gene expression alterations of ABC transporters, nuclear receptors and oxidative stress signaling in zebrafish embryos after the treatment of mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-CdTe QDs and MPA-CdS-CdTe QDs were investigated.
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 59. Zheng B, Guo MM, Song X, Miao YD, Pang MJ, Ming D. Reversing the systemic biotoxicity of nanomaterials by downregulating ROS-related signaling pathways in the multi-organs of Zebrafish embryos. Mater. Chem. Front. 5(11), 4231–4243 (2021).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 60. Wu T, Liang X, Liu X et al. Induction of ferroptosis in response to graphene quantum dots through mitochondrial oxidative stress in microglia. Part. Fibre Toxicol. 17(1), 30 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 61. Wu TS, He KY, Liang X et al. The glycolytic shift was involved in CdTe/ZnS quantum dots inducing microglial activation mediated through the mTOR signaling pathway. J. Appl. Toxicol. 40(3), 388–402 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 62. Liang X, Wu T, Wang Y et al. CdTe and CdTe@ZnS quantum dots induce IL-beta-mediated inflammation and pyroptosis in microglia. Toxicol. In Vitro 65, 104827 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 63. Xiao A, Wang C, Chen J, Guo RX, Yan ZY, Chen JQ. Carbon and metal quantum dots toxicity on the microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 133, 211–217 (2016).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 64. Liang X, Wang X, Cheng J, Zhang X, Wu T. Ag(2)Se quantum dots damage the nervous system of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 109(2), 279–285 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 65. Liu L, Xiao Y-Y, Ji Y-H et al. CuInS2/ZnS QD exposure induces developmental toxicity, oxidative stress and DNA damage in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) embryos and larvae. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C: Toxicol. Pharmacol. 198, 19–27 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 66. Li P, Xu TT, Wu SY, Lei LL, He DF. Chronic exposure to graphene-based nanomaterials induces behavioral deficits and neural damage in Caenorhabditis elegans. J. Appl. Toxicol. 37(10), 1140–1150 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 67. Ren CX, Hu XG, Zhou QX. Graphene oxide quantum dots reduce oxidative stress and inhibit neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo through catalase-like activity and metabolic regulation. Adv. Sci. 5(5), 1700595 (2018). • It is shown here that, compared withlarge graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets, GO quantum dots (GOQDs), as nanozymes efficiently reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and H2O2 in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium ion (MPP+)-induced PC12 cells.
  Google Scholar
• 68. Krunic M, Ristic B, Bosnjak M et al. Graphene quantum dot antioxidant and proautophagic actions protect SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from oxidative stress-mediated apoptotic death. Free Radical Biol. Med. 177, 167–180 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 69. Wang H, Xie Y, Na X et al. Fluorescent carbon dots in baked lamb: formation, cytotoxicity and scavenging capability to free radicals. Food Chem. 286, 405–412 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 70. Wang H, Zhang M, Ma Y et al. Carbon dots derived from citric acid and glutathione as a highly efficient intracellular reactive oxygen species scavenger for alleviating the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in macrophages. ACS Appl. Mater. Interf. 12(37), 41088–41095 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 71. Ahlawat J, Henriquez G, Varela-Ramirez A, Fairman R, Narayan M. Gelatin-derived carbon quantum dots mitigate herbicide-induced neurotoxic effects in vitro and in vivo. Biomater. Adv. 137, 212837 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 72. Cao XL, Yuan RJ, Sun DD et al. Assessment of the therapeutic potential of probiotics against carbon quantum dots-induced neurotoxicity in common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Aquat. Toxicol. 258, 106508 (2023).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 73. Juan CA, De La Lastra JMP, Plou FJ, Perez-Lebena E. The chemistry of reactive oxygen species (ROS) revisited: outlining their role in biological macromolecules (DNA, lipids and proteins) and induced pathologies. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 22(9), 4642 (2021). •• In this article cellular and biochemical experiments have been complemented in various ways to explain the biological chemistry of ROS oxidants.
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 74. Ul Hassan SS, Samanta S, Dash R et al. The neuroprotective effects of fisetin, a natural flavonoid in neurodegenerative diseases: focus on the role of oxidative stress. Front. Pharmacol. 13, 1015835 (2022).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 75. Cheung EC, Vousden KH. The role of ROS in tumour development and progression. Nat. Rev. Cancer 22(5), 280–297 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 76. Murphy MP. How mitochondria produce reactive oxygen species. Biochem. J. 417, 1–13 (2009).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 77. Brand MD. The sites and topology of mitochondrial superoxide production. Exp. Gerontol. 45(7–8), 466–472 (2010).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 78. Wu T, He K, Zhan Q et al. MPA-capped CdTe quantum dots exposure causes neurotoxic effects in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by affecting the transporters and receptors of glutamate, serotonin and dopamine at the genetic level, or by increasing ROS, or both. Nanoscale 7(48), 20460–20473 (2015).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 79. Indo HP, Davidson M, Yen HC et al. Evidence of ROS generation by mitochondria in cells with impaired electron transport chain and mitochondrial DNA damage. Mitochondrion 7(1–2), 106–118 (2007).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 80. Wu T, Zhan Q, Zhang T et al. The protective effects of resveratrol, H₂S and thermotherapy on the cell apoptosis induced by CdTe quantum dots. Toxicol. In Vitro 41, 106–113 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 81. Moussa H, Merlin C, Dezanet C et al. Trace amounts of Cu²⁺ ions influence ROS production and cytotoxicity of ZnO quantum dots. J. Hazard. Mater. 304, 532–542 (2016).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 82. Zhang Y, Yang C, Yang DL et al. Reduction of graphene oxide quantum dots to enhance the yield of reactive oxygen species for photodynamic therapy. PCCP 20(25), 17262–17267 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 83. Hao ML, Liu RT. Molecular mechanism of CAT and SOD activity change under MPA-CdTe quantum dots induced oxidative stress in the mouse primary hepatocytes. Spectrochim. Acta Part A 220, 117104 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 84. Zhao LN, Guo DD, Lin J, Liu RT. Responses of catalase and superoxide dismutase to low-dose quantum dots on molecular and cellular levels. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 181, 388–394 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 85. Hao ML, Liu RT. Conformational and functional effects of MPA-CdTe quantum dots on SOD: evaluating the mechanism of oxidative stress induced by quantum dots in the mouse nephrocytes. J. Mol. Recognit. 32(9), e2783 (2019).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 86. Wang J, Sun H, Meng P et al. Dose and time effect of CdTe quantum dots on antioxidant capacities of the liver and kidneys in mice. Int. J. Nanomed. 12, 6425–6435 (2017).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 87. Yan ZD, Yang XN, Lynch I, Cui FY. Comparative evaluation of the mechanisms of toxicity of graphene oxide and graphene oxide quantum dots to blue-green algae Microcystis aeruginosa in the aquatic environment. J. Hazard. Mater. 425, 127898 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 88. Jarrett SG, Boulton ME. Consequences of oxidative stress in age-related macular degeneration. Mol. Aspects Med. 33(4), 399–417 (2012).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 89. Pizzino G, Irrera N, Cucinotta M et al. Oxidative stress: harms and benefits for human health. Oxid. Med. Cell. Longevity 2017, 8416763 (2017).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 90. Shao Y, Wang LT, Chen JJ et al. Increased lipid peroxidation by graphene quantum dots induces ferroptosis in macrophages. Nanoimpact 23, 100334 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 91. Choi AO, Cho SJ, Desbarats J, Lovric J, Maysinger D. Quantum dot-induced cell death involves Fas upregulation and lipid peroxidation in human neuroblastoma cells. J. Nanobiotechnol. 5, 1 (2007).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 92. Li X, Zhang H, Sun F. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots exhibited nephrotoxicity through mediating oxidative damage and inflammatory response. Aging 13(8), 12194–12206 (2020).
  MedlineGoogle Scholar
• 93. Yamamoto M, Kensler TW, Motohashi H. The KEAP1-NRF2 system: a thiol-based sensor-effector apparatus for maintaining redox homeostasis. Physiol. Rev. 98(3), 1169–1203 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 94. Liu HP, Liu HJ, Liu HY et al. Study on the genetic damage caused by cadmium sulfide quantum dots in human lymphocytes. Open Life Sci. 17(1), 463–472 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 95. Hu JJ, Lin WT, Lin BJ, Wu KM, Fan HB, Yu YX. Persistent DNA methylation changes in zebrafish following graphene quantum dots exposure in surface chemistry-dependent manner. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 169, 370–375 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 96. Yao Y, Zhang T, Tang M. The DNA damage potential of quantum dots: toxicity, mechanism and challenge. Environ. Pollut. (Barking, Essex: 1987) 317, 120676 (2023).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 97. Ding YH, Yang Y, Chen J, Chen H, Wu YY, Jin L. Toxic effects of ZnSe/ZnS quantum dots on the reproduction and genotoxiticy of rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C: Toxicol. Pharmacol. 247, 109065 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 98. Angelova PR, Esteras N, Abramov AY. Mitochondria and lipid peroxidation in the mechanism of neurodegeneration: finding ways for prevention. Med. Res. Rev. 41(2), 770–784 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 99. Fang TT, Li X, Wang QS, Zhang ZJ, Liu P, Zhang CC. Toxicity evaluation of CdTe quantum dots with different size on Escherichia coli. Toxicol. In Vitro 26(7), 1233–1239 (2012).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 100. Wu T, Liang X, He K et al. Transcriptome analysis of different sizes of 3-mercaptopropionic acid-modified cadmium telluride quantum dot-induced toxic effects reveals immune response in rat hippocampus. J. Appl. Toxicol. 38(9), 1177–1194 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 101. Wu TS, Liang X, He KY et al. MPA-modified CdTe quantum dots increased interleukin-1beta secretion through MyD88-dependent Toll-like receptor pathway and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in microglia. Toxicol. In Vitro 52, 41–51 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 102. Hu L, Zhong H, He Z. The cytotoxicities in prokaryote and eukaryote varied for CdSe and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and differed from cadmium ions. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 181, 336–344 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 103. Wu TS, Liang X, He KY et al. The role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the neuroinflammatory responses to Ag2Se quantum dots in microglia. Nanoscale 11(43), 20820–20836 (2019).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 104. Vilela DD, Justino AB, Caixeta DC et al. Increased selenium concentration in the synthesis of CdSe magic-sized quantum dots affects how the brain responds to oxidative stress. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B 110(5), 1140–1150 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 105. Ku TT, Ren ZH, Yang RJ et al. Abnormal neural differentiation in response to graphene quantum dots through histone modification interference. Environ. Int. 170, 107572 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 106. Han XL, Lei JW, Chen K et al. Cytotoxicity of CdTe quantum dots with different surface coatings against yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 174, 467–474 (2019). • In this study, to overcome the inherent toxicity of heavy metals, CdTe QDs were encapsulated with different shells (NAC, MPA and GSH) to reduce the leakage of Cd from the core.
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 107. Xiang X, Wu C, Zhang BR et al. The relationship between the length of surface ligand and effects of CdTe quantum dots on the physiological functions of isolated mitochondria. Chemosphere 184, 1108–1116 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 108. Liu YF, Yu JS. In situ synthesis of highly luminescent glutathione-capped CdTe/ZnS quantum dots with biocompatibility. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 351(1), 1–9 (2010).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 109. Tang Y, Han SL, Liu HM et al. The role of surface chemistry in determining in vivo biodistribution and toxicity of CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots. Biomaterials 34(34), 8741–8755 (2013).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 110. Sukhanova A, Bozrova S, Gerasimovich E et al. Dependence of quantum dot toxicity in vitro on their size, chemical composition, and surface charge. Nanomaterials 12(16), 2734 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 111. Liu N, Liang Y, Wei T et al. Protein corona mitigated the cytotoxicity of CdTe QDs to macrophages by targeting mitochondria. Nanoimpact 25, 100367 (2022).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 112. Bai CC, Tang M. Progress on the toxicity of quantum dots to model organism-zebrafish. J. Appl. Toxicol. 43(1), 89–106 (2023).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 113. Wang Y, Tang M. Review of in vitro toxicological research of quantum dot and potentially involved mechanisms. Sci. Total Environ. 625, 940–962 (2018).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 114. Liu F, Lin J, Luo Y et al. Sialic acid-targeting multi-functionalized silicon quantum dots for synergistic photodynamic and photothermal cancer therapy. Biomater. Sci. doi:10.1039/d3bm00339f (2023).
  Google Scholar
• 115. Perini G, Palmieri V, Friggeri G, Augello A, De Spirito M, Papi M. Carboxylated graphene quantum dots-mediated photothermal therapy enhances drug-membrane permeability, ROS production, and the immune system recruitment on 3D glioblastoma models. Cancer Nanotechnol. 14(1), (2023).
  Google Scholar
• 116. Wibrianto A, Getachew G, Dirersa WB et al. A multifunctional nanocatalyst based on ultra-fluorescent carbon quantum dots for cascade enzymatic activity and stimuli-responsive chemotherapy of cancer. Carbon 208, 191–207 (2023).
  CASGoogle Scholar
• 117. Zhang WH, Yu LT, Jiang Y, Guo CY. Phycocyanin-functionalized black phosphorus quantum dots enhance PDT/PTT therapy by inducing ROS and irreparable DNA damage. Biomater. Sci. 9(15), 5302–5318 (2021).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 118. Perillo B, Di Donato M, Pezone A et al. ROS in cancer therapy: the bright side of the moon. Exp. Mol. Med. 52(2), 192–203 (2020).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar
• 119. Wei LM, Wang JF, Chen AJ, Liu J, Feng XL, Shao LQ. Involvement of PINK1/parkin-mediated mitophagy in ZnO nanoparticle-induced toxicity in BV-2 cells. Int. J. Nanomed. 12, 1891–1903 (2017).
  Medline CASGoogle Scholar