Amine-functionalized lanthanide-doped zirconia nanoparticles: optical spectroscopy, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer biodetection, and targeted imaging.
Ultrasmall inorganic oxide nanoparticles doped with trivalent lanthanide ions (Ln(3+)), a new and huge family of luminescent bioprobes, remain nearly untouched. Currently it is a challenge to synthesize biocompatible ultrasmall oxide bioprobes. Herein, we report a new inorganic oxide bioprobe based on sub-5 nm amine-functionalized tetragonal ZrO(2)-Ln(3+) nanoparticles synthesized via a facile solvothermal method and ligand exchange. By utilizing the long-lived luminescence of Ln(3+), we demonstrate its application as a sensitive time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) bioprobe to detect avidin with a record-low detection limit of 3.0 nM. The oxide nanoparticles also exhibit specific recognition of cancer cells overexpressed with urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR, an important marker of tumor biology and metastasis) and thus may have great potentials in targeted bioimaging.
Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
Yongsheng
Y
Liu
Shanyong
S
Zhou
Datao
D
Tu
Zhuo
Z
Chen
Mingdong
M
Huang
Haomiao
H
Zhu
En
E
Ma
Xueyuan
X
Chen
D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D006801:Humans; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry; D007834:Lasers; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013997:Time Factors; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry
D000588:Amines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide