Self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates for in vivo imaging
Self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates for in vivo imaging
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DOI：
10.1038/nbt1188
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发表时间：
2006-03-01
影响因子：
46.9
通讯作者：
Rao, JH
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
So, MK;Xu, CJ;Rao, JH
荧光半导体量子点具有用于体内分子成像的巨大潜力（1-5）。然而，现有的量子点用于体内成像的效用是有限的，因为它们需要来自外部照明源的激发以发荧光，这导致强的自体荧光背景和在非表面位置处的激发光的缺乏。在这里，我们提出了量子点共轭发光的生物发光共振能量转移在没有外部激发。通过将羧酸盐呈递量子点偶联到生物发光蛋白海肾萤光素酶的突变体来制备缀合物。我们表明，共轭物发射长波长（从红色到近红外）的生物发光的光在细胞和动物，甚至在深层组织，并适合于多路复用在体内成像。与现有的量子点相比，自发光量子点缀合物在小动物成像中具有大大增强的灵敏度，对于5 pmol缀合物，体内信号与背景比> 10（3）。
Fluorescent semiconductor quantum dots hold great potential for molecular imaging in vivo(1-5). However, the utility of existing quantum dots for in vivo imaging is limited because they require excitation from external illumination sources to fluoresce, which results in a strong autofluorescence background and a paucity of excitation light at nonsuperficial locations. Here we present quantum dot conjugates that luminesce by bioluminescence resonance energy transfer in the absence of external excitation. The conjugates are prepared by coupling carboxylate-presenting quantum dots to a mutant of the bioluminescent protein Renilla reniformis luciferase. We show that the conjugates emit long-wavelength (from red to near-infrared) bioluminescent light in cells and in animals, even in deep tissues, and are suitable for multiplexed in vivo imaging. Compared with existing quantum dots, self-illuminating quantum dot conjugates have greatly enhanced sensitivity in small animal imaging, with an in vivo signal-to-background ratio of > 10(3) for 5 pmol of conjugate.