Quantum Dots as a Potential Multifunctional Material for the Enhancement of Clinical Diagnosis Strategies and Cancer Treatments

作者：Wenqi Guo, Xueru Song, Jiaqi Liu, Wanyi Liu, Xiaoyuan Chu, Zengjie Lei · 发表于：Nanomaterials · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.3390/nano14131088 · 被引用次数：47 · 研究领域：Carbon and Quantum Dots Applications、Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques、Nanocluster Synthesis and Applications

Quantum dots (QDs) represent a class of nanoscale wide bandgap semiconductors, and are primarily composed of metals, lipids, or polymers. Their unique electronic and optical properties, which stem from their wide bandgap characteristics, offer significant advantages for early cancer detection and treatment. Metal QDs have already demonstrated therapeutic potential in early tumor imaging and therapy. However, biological toxicity has led to the development of various non-functionalized QDs, such as carbon QDs (CQDs), graphene QDs (GQDs), black phosphorus QDs (BPQDs) and perovskite quantum dots (PQDs). To meet the diverse needs of clinical cancer treatment, functionalized QDs with an array of modifications (lipid, protein, organic, and inorganic) have been further developed. These advancements combine the unique material properties of QDs with the targeted capabilities of biological therapy to effectively kill tumors through photodynamic therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and other means. In addition to tumor-specific therapy, the fluorescence quantum yield of QDs has gradually increased with technological progress, enabling their significant application in both in vivo and in vitro imaging. This review delves into the role of QDs in the development and improvement of clinical cancer treatments, emphasizing their wide bandgap semiconductor properties.