title: Minimally invasive surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection with depth profiles based on a surface-enhanced Raman scattering-active acupuncture needle.
abstract: To obtain depth profiles of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) information in living systems, a SERS-active needle was structured by acupuncture needles, gold nanoshells (GNSs), and polystyrene, which were used as carriers, SERS-active elements to be absorbed on the carriers, and coatings to protect the absorbed GNSs from being erased during insertion, respectively. The SERS-active needle is minimally invasive for entering and exiting the body. The interspaces between the GNSs became vessels to collect diffused fluids at different depths after a SERS-active needle was inserted into an agarose gel, and the SERS intensity profile on the SERS-active needle coincided with the concentration profile of Nile Blue A (NBA) in the gel. SERS detection in vitro avoided the signal attenuation in gels, and the SERS detection at different spots of the SERS-active needle provided a depth profile of the NBA molecule in the gel. In vivo experiments of NBA and 6-mercaptopurine confirmed that the SERS-active needle could collect fluids in living systems easily with minimal invasion and provide information about depth profiles of target molecules in tissues.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing, China. dongjian@seu.edu.cn
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Dong
authors: Qingfeng
authors: Q
authors: Chen
authors: Chunhui
authors: C
authors: Rong
authors: Danyang
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Yanying
authors: Y
authors: Rao
mesh_terms: D026881:Acupuncture / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015122:Mercaptopurine / Q000032:analysis; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D057145:Nanoshells / Q000737:chemistry; D009339:Needles; D010078:Oxazines / Q000032:analysis; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D010078:Oxazines; D011137:Polystyrenes; C008619:Nile Blue; D006046:Gold; D015122:Mercaptopurine