Pro-oxidant F/ZnO quantum dots amplify oxidative stress and morphological perturbation in cancer cells

: Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules produced during normal cellular metabolism that function as crucial signaling mediators under physiological conditions. The modulation of ROS production is proposed as a valuable strategy to enhance anticancer efficacy of targeted therapeutic strategies. Here, amphiphilic nanostructured formulations of fluorine-doped ZnO quantum dots (F/ZnO QDs) are prepared through a wet-chemistry approach and surface functionalization with oleylamine and oleic acid, exerting a high colloidal stability in aqueous media and enhanced pro-oxidant activity. Comprehensive physicochemical and functional analyses are proposed by integrating electrochemical and biological assays. Peroxide-mediated oxidative conditions are evaluated using a flexible, screen-printed electrochemical sensor fabricated on polyester, offering the advantages of miniaturization, low cost, and real-time detection. This system enables the monitoring of hydrogen peroxide oxidation, whose current response increases in the presence of amphiphiles-coated F/ZnO QDs, thus providing a direct evidence of pro-oxidant behaviour. MTT and ROS-detection assays confirm that the designed nanosystems significantly amplified oxidative stress and cell mortality upon H2O2 exposure. Furthermore, a morphometric analysis, enabled by Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM), showed statistically significant phenotypic differences between QDs-treated and control cells. This finding ultimately validates the synergistic potential of electrochemical and optical techniques for assessing oxidative stress mechanisms at the nanoscale.