title: One-step synthesis of small-sized and water-soluble NaREF4 upconversion nanoparticles for in vitro cell imaging and drug delivery.
abstract: Small (2-28 nm) NaREF(4) (rare earth (RE)=Nd-Lu, Y) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by an oil/water two-phase approach. Meanwhile, hydrophilic NPs can be obtained through a successful phase-transition process by introducing the amphiphilic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) into the same reaction system. Hollow-structured NaREF(4) (RE=Y, Yb, Lu) NPs can be fabricated in situ by electron-beam lithography on solid NPs. The MTT assay indicates that these hydrophilic NPs with hollow structures exhibit good biocompatibility. The as-prepared hollow-structured NPs can be used as anti-cancer drug carriers for drug storage/release investigations. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) was taken as model drug. The release of DOX from hollow α-NaLuF(4):20% Yb(3+), 2% Er(3+) exhibits a pH-sensitive release patterns. Confocal microscopy observations indicate that the NPs can be taken up by HeLa cells and show obvious anti-cancer efficacy. Furthermore, α-NaLuF(4):20% Yb(3+), 2% Er(3+) NPs show bright-red emission under IR excitation, making both the excitation and emission light fall within the "optical window" of biological tissues. The application of α-NaLuF(4):20% Yb(3+), 2% Er(3+) in the luminescence imaging of cells was also investigated, which shows a bright-red emission without background noise.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yunlu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Pingan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiaojiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ziyong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Chunxia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D008187:Lutetium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth / Q000737:chemistry*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009354:Neodymium / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D014867:Water; D009354:Neodymium; D008187:Lutetium; D004317:Doxorubicin