Serum Protein Corona Abolishes Changes in the Expression of Proinflammatory Genes Induced by Quantum Dots in Human Blood Mononuclear Cell.

We studied changes in the transcription of genes encoding cytokines (TNF, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-32), cell activation markers (ICAM1, CD38, Fas, and FCGRIII), ROS production catalyst (NOX2), autophagy (Beclin 1, LC3B, and p62) and apoptosis (BAX, BCL2) regulators in peripheral blood mononuclear cells upon contact with quantum dots CdSe/ZnS-MPA and CdSe/CdSeZnS/ZnS-PTVP. Up-regulation of TNF, ICAM1, Fas, p62 mRNA and down-regulation of the FCGRIII and NOX2 mRNA in response to the presence of quantum dots were revealed. The formation of serum protein corona on the surface of quantum dots abolished this effect.