Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
Compact Quantum Dots for Single-molecule Imaging
Published on: October 9, 2012
Metalloestrogenic effects of quantum dots
Manasi P Jain1, Farida Vaisheva, Dusica Maysinger
1Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, McIntyre Medical Sciences Building, Room 1314, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
Aim:
To investigate the metalloestrogenic effects of cadmium telluride quantum dots (QDs) in both human breast cancer cells and in vivo in mice.
Materials & Methods:
Human breast cancer cells (MCF-7 cells) were utilized to study QDs, cadmium and 17β-estradiol induced estrogen-related genomic and nongenomic signaling. Female prepubescent and ovariectomized adult mice were treated with CdTe QDs to assess whether QD-induced estrogenicity would lead to uterine changes.
Results & Discussion:
Our findings demonstrate that in vitro cadmium-containing QDs induce cellular proliferation, estrogen receptor α activation, and biphasic phosphorylation of AKT and ERK1/2, comparable with 17β-estradiol. Green QDs elicited a more robust estrogenic response than orange QDs. Addition of the selective estrogen receptor antagonist, ICI 182780, completely abolished all QD-induced estrogenic effects, suggesting that QD-induced estrogenic signaling is mediated via the estrogen receptor. In vivo, chronic treatment of mice with QDs led to a two- to three-fold increase in uterine weight, comparable or greater than 17β-estradiol.
Conclusion:
These findings suggest that certain cadmium-containing nanocrystals are endocrine disruptors, whose effects can exceed those induced by ionic cadmium or 17β-estradiol.
