OBJECTIVETo study the effect of peptide-conjugated near-infrared quantum dots (QDs) on growth, invasion and metastasis of human buccal squamous cell carcinoma cell line (BcaCD885 cell).

METHODS(1) BcaCD885 cells were labeled by cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated QDs with a maximum emission wavelength of 800 nm (QD800), then labeling efficiency was detected by flow cytometry, and laser-scanning confocal microscope was used to observe the distribution of QD800 within the cells. (2) Different concentrations of QD800 was applied to BcaCD885 cells, and the cell growth of control and three test groups were compared respectively. (3) BcaCD885 cells were labeled by QD800 (BcaCD885/QD800), then transwell chambers and wash way were used to detect the difference of invasion and metastasis ability between BcaCD885/QD800 and BcaCD885 cells.

RESULTS(1) The labeling rate of BcaCD885 cells after 6h was 94.07%, and QD800 distributes in the BcaCD885 cytoplasm. (2) Different concentrations of QD800 showed no negative effects on growth of BcaCD885 cells. (3) The ability of invasion, attachment and motion of BcaCD885 cells were not significantly different between test and control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONQDs showed no effects on growth, invasion and metastasis ability of BcaCD885 cells. Our results provide science foundation for QDs as a new fluorescence probes to real-time monitor cells and cells imaging in a living.