Synthesis of manganese-doped silver selenide quantum dots with near-infrared photoluminescent and paramagnetic properties

An Ultra-Stable, Oxygen-Supply Nanoprobe Emitting in Near-Infrared-II Window to Guide and Enhance Radiotherapy by Promoting Anti-Tumor Immunity

Currently, radiotherapy (RT) is the main method for cancer treatment. However, the hypoxic environment of solid tumors is likely to cause resistance or failure of RT. Moreover, high-dose radiation may cause side effects to surrounding normal tissues. In this study, a new type of nanozyme is developed by doping Mn (II) ions into Ag₂ Se quantum dots (QDs) emitting in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm). Through the catalysis of Mn (II) ions, the nanozymes can trigger the rapid decomposition of H₂ O₂ and produce O₂ . Conjugated with tumor-targeting arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) tripeptides and polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules, the nanozymes are then constructed into in vivo nanoprobes for NIR-II imaging-guided RT of tumors. Owing to the radiosensitive activity of the element Ag, the nanoprobes can promote radiation energy deposition. The specific tumor-targeting and NIR-II emitting abilities of the nanoprobes facilitate the precise tumor localization, which enables precise RT with low side effects. Moreover, their ultra-stability in the living body ensures that the nanoprobes continuously produce oxygen and relieve the hypoxia of tumors to enhance RT efficacy. Guided by real-time and high-clarity imaging, the nanoprobe-mediated RT promotes anti-tumor immunity, which significantly inhibits the growth of tumors or even cures them completely.

The role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the neuroinflammatory responses to Ag2Se quantum dots in microglia

Silver selenide quantum dots (Ag₂Se QDs) provide bright prospects for the application of QDs in the field of biomedicine because they contain low-toxic compounds and show great advantages in the imaging of deep tissues and tiny vascular structures. However, the biosafety of these novel QDs has not been thoroughly evaluated, especially in one main target for toxicity-the central nervous system (CNS). Our previous studies have suggested severe inflammatory responses to cadmium-containing QDs in the hippocampus, which gives us a hint regarding the risk assessment of Ag₂Se QDs. In this study, microglial activation followed by enhanced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines was observed in the hippocampus of mice intravenously injected with Ag₂Se QDs. When using the microglial BV2 cells to investigate the underlying mechanisms, we found that the NLRP3 inflammasome activation was involved in the IL-1β-mediated inflammation induced by Ag₂Se QDs. On the one hand, Ag₂Se QD-activated NF-κB participated in the NLRP3 inflammasome priming and assembly as well as the pro-IL-1β upregulation. On the other hand, Ag₂Se QD-induced ROS generation, particularly mtROS, triggered the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and resulted in active caspase-1 to process pro-IL-1β into mature IL-1β release. These findings not only indicated that it is important to evaluate the biosafety of novel QDs, even those containing low-toxic compounds, but also provided an unbiased and mechanism-based risk assessment of similar nanoparticles.