title: Silica-shell cross-linked micelles encapsulating fluorescent conjugated polymers for targeted cellular imaging.
abstract: A bioinspired silification approach was successfully used to encapsulate fluorescent conjugated polymers inside silica-shell cross-linked polymeric micelles (CP-SSCL) in the highly benign synthesis environment of room temperature and near-neutral aqueous environment. Four different conjugated polymers were employed to demonstrate the versatility of the bioinspired silification, resulting in the formation of CP-SSCL with different emission wavelengths across the visible spectrum. The CP-SSCL are characterized by a large absorption coefficient and high quantum yield, indicating that they exhibit the required high fluorescence brightness for cellular imaging application. In addition, the CP-SSCL also exhibit a high colloidal stability and low cytotoxicity. The in vitro studies of using MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells show that the CP-SSCL are successfully uptaken by the cancer cells and located at the cytoplasm of the cells. Furthermore, by conjugating folic acid on their surfaces, the uptake of CP-SSCL by MDA-MB-231 cells was enhanced significantly, suggesting their great potential for targeted imaging and early detection of cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, Centre for Life Sciences, Singapore 117456, Singapore.
authors.forename: Happy
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhongxing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xinhai
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Anna Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Siew Yee
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Alex Yuang-chi
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Zhi-Kuan
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choolani
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D012822:Silicon Dioxide