Synthesis and characterization of cds quantum dots coated with methotrexate for targeted drug delivery
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Date
2022
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UMT, Lhr
Abstract
Cancer is the second major cause of healthcare problems leading to high mortality rate. Methotrexate (MTX), derivative of folic acid, is an effective anticancer drug to treat different malignancies, but the major drawback is nonspecific targeting which ultimately result in cytotoxicity to healthy cells, need of high amount of doses. Nanocomposites of MTX to QDs may solve it by increasing the cellular uptake through folate receptors. In present study we synthesized MTX-conjugated cysteine capped CdS QDs (MTX- QD Nanocomposites) and estimated their cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells with CdS QDs resistancy to MTX. The CdS QDs were prepared by using chemical wet method under high temperature and pressure and then these QDs were conjugated with MTX by gluteraldehyde method in which 5% of gluteraldehyde was used to provide functional group to bind MTX with CdS QDs. The characterization of CdS QDs and their conjugation with cysteine, folic acid, and MTX were performed through light microscope, UV-Visible spectrophotometry and FT-IR spectroscopy. The yellow-greenish fluorescence observed under microscope confirmed the formation of CdS QDs. Increase in absorbance at 540 nm indicates the conjugation of MTX with CdS QDs by using UV-Visible spectrophotometry. FT-IR spectroscopy shows C=O, C=C C-N bonds present in folic acid and presence of O-H, N-H & C-H bonds in MTX. The anticancer activity was checked by performing MTT Assay and immunohistochemistry on MCF-7 cells. The MTX-CdS QD nanocomposites efficiently bind to the MCF-7 cells and induced higher apoptosis rate and cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cells by enhancing cellular uptake of MTX-CdS QD nanocomposites by the cancerous cells through folate receptor as a drug targeting markers on MCF-7 cells. It increase the localization of high amount of MTX in the nuclei of MCF-7 cells. These results suggest that the conjugation of anticancer drug with QDs not only decreases the cytotoxic effect of drug on healthy cell by only target the specific receptors present on the surface of cancer cells , but also improves efficiency of cancer therapy by decreasing the quantity of drug dose and increasing the drug availability to cancer cells