Imaging Tumor Oxidative Stress with Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Gold Nanoparticles

Abstract

We synthesized a new surface enhanced Raman scattering nanoparticle (SERS NP) which can detect reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thus changes in oxidative stress (OS). Our SERS NP was synthesized using a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) core which was then coated with a dihydrorhodamine (DHR123) Raman layer. In the presence of ROS, DHR123 is converted to rhodamine123 (Rd123) which has a distinct Raman fingerprint. Next, AuNP-DHR123 were encapsulated in a mesoporous-SiO2 shell to help appose DHR123 to the AuNP core. Finally, the AuNP-DHR123-mesoporous-SiO2 was functionalized with cystine knot peptides that target integrin avß6. Our SERS NP was initially optimized in vitro using solutions containing reactive oxygen species as well as human cancer cell lines. Finally, in a xenograft animal model, we demonstrated the in vivo ability of our SERS NP to target a tumor, as well as provide a reading of the amount of OS within the tumor.

View details for DOI 10.1166/jbn.2019.2819

View details for Web of Science ID 000483950600010

View details for PubMedID 31462377