The interaction between human blood neutrophil granulocytes and quantum dots

Abstract

For biomedical applications, it is important to know, which kinds of blood cells can capture quantum dots (QDs). The maximum accumulation of QDs was found for the monocyte fraction of leukocytes, the minimum binding of QDs was observed for lymphocytes. It was found that CdSe/ZnS-MPA QDs are actively absorbed by the cells and have more expressed toxicity. The classical mechanism of the phagocytosis of QDs was revealed for neutrophils, when the QDs are located in phagolysosomes. The capture of QDs by neutrophil granulocytes has resulted in a destruction of certain types of QDs. The interaction of the neutrophils with the QDs has resulted in the death of the cells by one of the following cell death mechanisms: necrosis, apoptosis, autophagy, NETos, or mummification. The aggregation of the QDs manifested as an increase of the hydrodynamic diameter of the QDs was found to occur under the influence of serum and under the influence of blood cells (lymphocytes and neutrophils) in a serum-free medium.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Blood leukocytes; Cytotoxicity; Necrosis; Neutrophil granulocytes; Quantum dots.