Glutathione-mediated release of functional plasmid DNA from positively charged quantum dots

DNA was efficiently bound to water-soluble positively charged CdTe quantum dots (QDs) through complementary electrostatic interaction. These QDs–DNA complexes were disrupted and DNA was released by glutathione (GSH) at intracellular concentrations. Interestingly, there was almost no detectable DNA released by extracellular concentration of GSH. The formation of QDs–DNA complexes and GSH-mediated DNA release from the complexes were confirmed by dye displacement assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments. The released DNA retained transcriptional activity and expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) after being transfected into HEK 293 cells. The transfection efficiency measured by flow cytometry (FCM) was comparable with the positive control. The obvious difference of GSH concentration in nature between the intra- and extracellular environments as well as the GSH concentration-dependent triggered release suggests potential applications of these positively QDs in selective unpacking of payload in living cells in a visible manner.