Two-photon-induced photoluminescence imaging of tumors using near-infrared excited gold nanoshells.
Gold nanoshells (dielectric silica core/gold shell) are a novel class of hybrid metal nanoparticles whose unique optical properties have spawned new applications including more sensitive molecular assays and cancer therapy. We report a new photo-physical property of nanoshells (NS) whereby these particles glow brightly when excited by near-infrared light. We characterized the luminescence brightness of NS, comparing to that of gold nanorods (NR) and fluorescent beads (FB). We find that NS are as bright as NR and 140 times brighter than FB. To demonstrate the potential application of this bright two-photon-induced photoluminescence (TPIP) signal for biological imaging, we imaged the 3D distribution of gold nanoshells targeted to murine tumors.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Jaesook
J
Park
Arnold
A
Estrada
Kelly
K
Sharp
Krystina
K
Sang
Jon A
JA
Schwartz
Danielle K
DK
Smith
Chris
C
Coleman
J D
JD
Payne
Brian A
BA
Korgel
Andrew K
AK
Dunn
James W
JW
Tunnell
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003287:Contrast Media; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006046:Gold; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008029:Lighting / Q000379:methods*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D006046:Gold