title: Optimizing the formation of biocompatible gold nanorods for cancer research: functionalization, stabilization and purification.
abstract: We have investigated the most efficient way of preparing biocompatible gold nanorods (GNR) used as tool for cancer imaging and therapy. The surface of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-stabilized gold nanorods (GNR-CTAB) was functionalized with various thio-polyethylene glycols of the general formula HS-PEGmX (m=356-10,000; X=-OMe, -NH(2)). The influence of several parameters such as PEG chain length, reaction conditions and purification method on long-term stability, morphology and optical properties of the produced GNR-S-PEGmX was studied, demonstrating the existence of a threshold HS-PEGmX chain length (with molecular weight m≥2000) for efficient steric stabilization of GNR. Several purification techniques were compared: dialysis, centrifugation and a rarely used technique in this field, size exclusion chromatography. While a very weak efficiency of dialysis was evidenced, both centrifugation and size exclusion chromatography were found to provide pure GNRs, though the latter method yielded nanoparticles with a significantly higher stability. Finally, the long-term stability of the produced GNRs was investigated in various media: water, PBS buffer and serum.
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, Paris F-75248, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bogliotti
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oberleitner
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di-Cicco
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Florent
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Semetey
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold