Potencial uso teranóstico de pontos quânticos ultrapequenos de CdSe/CdS: investigando a biocompatibilidade em Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The use of nanoparticles in medicine has grown significantly, especially in the area of theranostic nanomedicine, which integrates diagnosis and therapy in a single nanometric structure. Among the various nanoparticles, quantum dots have stood out as promising in drug delivery and as medical imaging systems and biosensors. However, the presence of heavy metals in its composition raises concerns about its toxicity, limiting its clinical usefulness. This study investigated the biocompatibility of ultrasmall cadmium selenide core and cadmium sulfide shell (CdSe/CdS) quantum dots in Drosophila melanogaster, a model organism with advantages for nanotoxicology studies. The results demonstrated that the treatments did not affect the different phases of the animal's development and life expectancy, in addition, they did not cause redox imbalance in the mitochondria of the larval fat body using in vivo biosensors. These results suggest that CdSe/CdS quantum dots are biocompatible in D. melanogaster, providing valuable insights into their safety in biological systems. Future research should continue exploring the effects of these treatments and other techniques for a comprehensive assessment of the safety of quantum dots, aiming for their potential use in theranostic applications.