title: Controlling the cellular uptake of gold nanorods.
abstract: Gold nanorods coated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic micellar surfactant used in nanorod synthesis, were rapidly and irreversibly internalized by KB cells via a nonspecific uptake mechanism. Internalized nanorods near the cell surface were monitored by two-photon luminescence (TPL) microscopy and observed to migrate toward the nucleus with a quadratic rate of diffusion. The internalized nanorods were not excreted but formed permanent aggregates within the cells, which remained healthy and grew to confluence over a 5-day period. Nonspecific nanorod uptake could be greatly reduced by displacing the CTAB surfactant layer with chemisorptive surfactants, particularly by the conjugation of poly(ethylene glycol) chains onto nanorods using in situ dithiocarbamate formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Terry B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Huff
authors.forename: Matthew N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ji-Xin
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006046:Gold / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold