Feasibility of Silicon Quantum Dots as a Biomarker for the Bioimaging of Tear Film
Sidra Sarwat,
Fiona Jane Stapleton,
Mark Duncan Perry Willcox,
Peter B. O’Mara,
Richard David Tilley,
J. Justin Gooding,
Maitreyee Roy
Affiliations
Sidra Sarwat
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Fiona Jane Stapleton
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Mark Duncan Perry Willcox
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Peter B. O’Mara
School of Chemistry, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Richard David Tilley
School of Chemistry, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
J. Justin Gooding
School of Chemistry, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
Maitreyee Roy
School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
This study investigated the fluorescence and biocompatibility of hydrophilic silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) that are doped with scandium (Sc-SiQDs), copper (Cu-SiQDs), and zinc (Zn-SiQDs), indicating their feasibility for the bioimaging of tear film. SiQDs were investigated for fluorescence emission by the in vitro imaging of artificial tears (TheraTears®), using an optical imaging system. A trypan blue exclusion test and MTT assay were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of SiQDs to cultured human corneal epithelial cells. No difference was observed between the fluorescence emission of Sc-SiQDs and Cu-SiQDs at any concentration. On average, SiQDs showed stable fluorescence, while Sc-SiQDs and Cu-SiQDs showed brighter fluorescence emissions than Zn-SiQDs. Cu-SiQDs and Sc-SiQDs showed a broader safe concentration range than Zn-SiQDs. Cu-SiQDs and Zn-SiQDs tend to aggregate more substantially in TheraTears® than Sc-SiQDs. This study elucidates the feasibility of hydrophilic Sc-SiQDs in studying the tear film’s aqueous layer.
