Biocompatible thermoresponsive copolymers based on 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethyl methacrylate (MEO₂MA) and oligo (ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA) were grown from the surface of ZnO quantum dots (QDs) by surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization with activators regenerated by electron transfer (SI-ARGET ATRP) in order to design smart and fluorescent core/shell nanosystems to be used toward cancer cells. Tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) values were obtained and studied in water and in culture medium. The complete efficiency of the process was demonstrated by the combination of spectroscopic and microscopic studies. The colloidal behavior of the ZnO/copolymer core/shell QDs in water and in physiological media with temperature was assessed. Finally, the cytotoxicity toward human colon cancer HT29 cells of the core/shell QDs was tested. The results showed that the polymer-capped QDs exhibited almost no toxicity at concentrations up to 12.5 μg.mL^–1, while when loaded with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), a higher cytotoxicity and a decreased HT29 cancer cell viability in a short time were observed.

中文翻译：

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通过响应性和荧光核/壳量子点在癌细胞中递送阿霉素的简便方法

基于甲基丙烯酸2-（2-甲氧基乙氧基）乙酯（MEO ₂）的生物相容性热敏共聚物通过表面引发的原子转移自由基聚合和电子转移再生的活化剂（SI-ARGET ATRP）从ZnO量子点（QD）的表面生长出MA）和甲基丙烯酸低聚乙二醇（OEGMA），以设计智能和荧光用于癌细胞的核/壳纳米系统。获得了可调的较低临界溶液温度（LCST）值，并在水和培养基中进行了研究。通过光谱学和显微镜研究的结合证明了该方法的完全效率。评估了ZnO /共聚物核/壳量子点在水中和在生理介质中随温度的胶体行为。最后，测试了核/壳QD对人结肠癌HT29细胞的细胞毒性。^–1，当装载盐酸阿霉素（DOX）时，在短时间内观察到更高的细胞毒性和HT29癌细胞活力的降低。