Lead sulfide near-infrared quantum dot bioconjugates for targeted molecular imaging

Jiantang Sun^1,3, Ming-Qiang Zhu¹, Kun Fu^2,3, Nastassja Lewinski¹, Rebekah A Drezek^1,2

¹Departments of Bioengineering; ²Electrical and Computer Engineering; ³Rice Quantum Institute, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA

Abstract: In this paper, we report the use of lead sulfide quantum dot (PbS QD) bioconjugates as near infrared (NIR) contrast agents for targeted molecular imaging with expanded emission wavelengths beyond 1000 nm. The red-shifted emission band, coupled with the small particle size, which will facilitate clearance, both afford PbS QDs unique properties for noninvasive, high resolution in vivo NIR imaging applications. We have performed imaging experiments at the molecular level using surface-modified PbS NIR QDs, together with our lab-built NIR imaging system. This novel instrumentation and fluorescent contrast agent have enabled us to study the relatively unexplored NIR biomedical imaging spectral region of 900–1200 nm. Preliminary experimental results indicate that PbS-QD/antibody bioconjugates are promising candidates for targeted NIR molecular imaging and future in vivo NIR tissue imaging applications.

Keywords: near infrared, quantum dots, bioconjugates, targeted imaging