title: Controlling electron trap depth to enhance optical properties of persistent luminescence nanoparticles for in vivo imaging.
abstract: Focusing on the use of nanophosphors for in vivo imaging and diagnosis applications, we used thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL) measurements to study the influence of trivalent lanthanide Ln(3+) (Ln = Dy, Pr, Ce, Nd) electron traps on the optical properties of Mn(2+)-doped diopside-based persistent luminescence nanoparticles. This work reveals that Pr(3+) is the most suitable Ln(3+) electron trap in the diopside lattice, providing optimal trap depth for room temperature afterglow and resulting in the most intense luminescence decay curve after X-ray irradiation. This luminescence dependency toward the electron trap is maintained through additional doping with Eu(2+), allowing UV-light excitation, critical for bioimaging applications in living animals. We finally identify a novel composition (CaMgSi(2)O(6):Eu(2+),Mn(2+),Pr(3+)) for in vivo imaging, displaying a strong near-infrared afterglow centered on 685 nm, and present evidence that intravenous injection of such persistent luminescence nanoparticles in mice allows not only improved but highly sensitive detection through living tissues.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Pharmacologie Chimique et Génétique et d'Imagerie, CNRS, UMR 8151, Paris, F-75270 cedex, France.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maldiney
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lecointre
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Viana
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bessière
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bessodes
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gourier
authors.forename: Cyrille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scherman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004583:Electrons; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry; D049449:Luminescence; D051379:Mice; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D055620:Optical Phenomena
chemical_list: D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements