Au-Doped Ag2 Te Quantum Dots with Bright NIR-IIb Fluorescence for In Situ Monitoring of Angiogenesis and Arteriogenesis in a Hindlimb Ischemic Model

Adv Mater. 2021 Sep;33(37):e2103953. doi: 10.1002/adma.202103953. Epub 2021 Jul 26.

Abstract

Fluorescence located in 1500-1700 nm (denoted as the near-infrared IIb window, NIR-IIb) has drawn great interest for bioimaging, owing to its ultrahigh tissue penetration depth and spatiotemporal resolution. Therefore, NIR-IIb fluorescent probes with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and stability along with high biocompatibility are urgently pursued. Herein, a novel NIR-IIb fluorescent probe of Au-doped Ag2 Te (Au:Ag2 Te) quantum dots (QDs) is developed via a facile cation exchange method. The Au dopant concentration in the Ag2 Te QDs is tunable from 0% to 10% by controlling the ratio of supplied Au precursor to Ag2 Te QDs, resulting in a wide range of PL emission in the NIR-IIb window and a much-enhanced PL intensity. After surface modification, the Au:Ag2 Te QDs possess bright NIR-IIb emission, high colloidal stability and photostability, and decent biocompatibility. Further, in vivo monitoring of the process of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis in an ischemic hindlimb is successfully performed.

Keywords: Au-doped Ag 2Te; NIR-IIb fluorescence; bioimaging; cation exchange; quantum dots.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry*
  • Biocompatible Materials / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Hindlimb / blood supply
  • Hindlimb / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Ischemia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic
  • Quantum Dots / chemistry*
  • Quantum Dots / toxicity
  • Signal-To-Noise Ratio
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared*
  • Tellurium / chemistry

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Tellurium