量子点神经毒性与机制研究进展

Research progress on the neurotoxicity and mechanisms of quantum dots

量子点是一种具有光学和电子特性的新兴半导体纳米晶体材料。环境中的量子点主要经消化系统进入机体;工作场所中的量子点主要经呼吸道和皮肤黏膜等多种途径进入人体,并穿过血-脑屏障影响神经系统,最终导致不可逆的损伤。由于量子点具有核-壳型结构以及表面可修饰性,因此与普通纳米材料和金属离子比较,其具有更复杂的生物毒性。量子点的物理化学性质,如粒径、表面修饰和电荷,对其神经毒性效应有显著影响。量子点可引发氧化应激和炎症反应,并造成神经元损伤和功能障碍,从而影响突触可塑性和学习记忆,其毒性作用机制可能为量子点调节丝裂原活化蛋白激酶/细胞外信号调节激酶等信号通路。未来应对不同类型量子点的神经毒性进行系统分析,并利用多组学方法探讨量子点对神经损害的作用机制,以提高劳动者接触量子点的安全性。

Quantum dots are an emerging semiconductor nanocrystalline material with optical and electronic properties.Quantum dots in the environment are transmitted into human body mainly via digestive system.Quantum dots in the workplace are transmitted into human body via various pathways such as the respiratory tract and mucocutaneous surface.They cross the blood brain barrier to affect the nervous system,eventually leading to irreversible damage.Quantum dots have more complex biological toxicity than ordinary nanomaterials and metal ions,due to their core-shell structure and surface modifiers.The physicochemical properties of quantum dots,such as particle size,surface modification,and charge,greatly influence their neurotoxic effects.Quantum dots can induce oxidative stress and inflammatory responses,causing neuronal damage and functional impairment,thereby affecting learning,memory,and synaptic plasticity.Its mechanisms may be the modulation of signaling pathways such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase pathway.In the future,the neurotoxicity of different types of quantum dots should be systematically analyzed,and multi-omics methods should be used to elucidate the mechanism of quantum dots on neuronal damage to improve the safety of workers exposed to quantum dots.