Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots for in vivo imaging of apoptotic cells

Prathik Roy; Arun Prakash Periasamy; Chiu-Ya Lin; Guor-Mour Her; Wei-Jane Chiu; Chi-Lin Li; Chia-Lun Shu; Chih-Ching Huang; Chi-Te Liang; Huan-Tsung Chang

doi:10.1039/C4NR07005D

Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots for in vivo imaging of apoptotic cells†

Prathik Roy,^a Arun Prakash Periasamy,^a Chiu-Ya Lin,^b Guor-Mour Her,^b Wei-Jane Chiu,^b Chi-Lin Li,^a Chia-Lun Shu,^a Chih-Ching Huang,*^b Chi-Te Liang^cd and Huan-Tsung Chang*^a

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* Corresponding authors

^a Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan
E-mail: changht@ntu.edu.tw
Fax: +011-886-2-3366-1171
Tel: +011-886-2-3366-1171

^b Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, 2, Pei-Ning Road, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
E-mail: huanging@ntou.edu.tw
Fax: +011-886-2-2462-2320
Tel: +011-886-2-2462-2192 ext. 5517

^c Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

^d Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials (GLAM), Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA

Abstract

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is linked to many incurable neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and cancer causing diseases. Numerous methods have been developed for imaging apoptotic cells in vitro; however, there are few methods available for imaging apoptotic cells in live animals (in vivo). Here we report a novel method utilizing the unique photoluminescence properties of plant leaf-derived graphene quantum dots (GQDs) modified with annexin V antibody (Ab_A5) to form (Ab_A5)-modified GQDs (Ab_A5-GQDs) enabling us to label apoptotic cells in live zebrafish (Danio rerio). The key is that zebrafish shows bright red photoluminescence in the presence of apoptotic cells. The toxicity of the GQDs has also been investigated with the GQDs exhibiting high biocompatibility as they were excreted from the zebrafish's body without affecting its growth significantly at a concentration lower than 2 mg mL⁻¹ over a period of 4 to 72 hour post fertilization. The GQDs have further been used to image human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7 cells), human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa cells), and normal human mammary epithelial cell line (MCF-10A). These results are indispensable to further the advance of graphene-based nanomaterials for biomedical applications.

Nanoscale

Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots for in vivo imaging of apoptotic cells†

Abstract

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Photoluminescent graphene quantum dots for in vivo imaging of apoptotic cells

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