title: Gold nanoshell bioconjugates for molecular imaging in living cells.
abstract: Advances in scattering-based optical imaging technologies offer a new approach to noninvasive point-of-care detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of cancer. Emerging photonics technologies provide a cost-effective means to image tissue in vivo with high resolution in real time. Advancing the clinical potential of these imaging strategies requires the development of optical contrast agents targeted to specific molecular signatures of disease. We describe the use of a novel class of contrast agents based on nanoshell bioconjugates for molecular imaging in living cells. Nanoshells offer significant advantages over conventional imaging probes including continuous and broad wavelength tunability, far greater scattering and absorption coefficients, increased chemical stability, and improved biocompatibility. We show that nanoshell bioconjugates can be used to effectively target and image human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a clinically relevant biomarker, in live human breast carcinoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, MS-142, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, USA. cloo@rice.edu
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loo
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halas
authors.forename: Rebekah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Drezek
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D006046:Gold; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases