Aptamer-based silver nanoparticles used for intracellular protein imaging and single nanoparticle spectral analysis.
Aptamer-adapted silver nanoparticles (Apt-AgNPs) were developed as a novel optical probe for simultaneous intracellular protein imaging and single nanoparticle spectral analysis, wherein AgNPs act as an illuminophore and the aptamer as a biomolecule specific recognition unit, respectively. It was found that streptavidin-conjugated and aptamer-functionalized AgNPs show satisfactory biocompatibility and stability in cell culture medium, and thus not only can act as a high contrast imaging agent for both dark-field light scattering microscope and TEM imaging but also can inspire supersensitive single nanoparticle spectra for potential intercellular microenvironment analysis. Further investigations showed that caveolae-related endocytosis is likely a necessary pathway for Apt-AgNPs labeled PrP(c) internalization in human bone marrow neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-SH cells). The integrated capability of Apt-AgNPs to be used as light scattering and TEM imaging agents, along with their potential use for single nanoparticle spectral analysis, makes them a great promise for future biomedical imaging and disease diagnosis.
Chen
Li Qiang
LQ
Education Ministry Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, PR China.
Xiao
Sai Jin
SJ
Peng
Li
L
Wu
Tong
T
Ling
Jian
J
Li
Yuan Fang
YF
Huang
Cheng Zhi
CZ
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D011506:Proteins; D012834:Silver; D019809:Streptavidin