title: Lanthanide-doped LiLuF(4) upconversion nanoprobes for the detection of disease biomarkers.
abstract: Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have shown great promise in bioapplications. Exploring new host materials to realize efficient upconversion luminescence (UCL) output is a goal of general concern. Herein, we develop a unique strategy for the synthesis of novel LiLuF4 :Ln(3+) core/shell UCNPs with typically high absolute upconversion quantum yields of 5.0 % and 7.6 % for Er(3+) and Tm(3+) , respectively. Based on our customized UCL biodetection system, we demonstrate for the first time the application of LiLuF4 :Ln(3+) core/shell UCNPs as sensitive UCL bioprobes for the detection of an important disease marker β subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) with a detection limit of 3.8 ng mL(-1) , which is comparable to the β-hCG level in the serum of normal humans. Furthermore, we use these UCNPs in proof-of-concept computed tomography imaging and UCL imaging of cancer cells, thus revealing the great potential of LiLuF4 :Ln(3+) UCNPs as efficient nano-bioprobes in disease diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, and Key Laboratory of design and assembly of functional nanostructures, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China).
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shanyong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Datao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Haomiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Renfu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: En
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Mingdong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xueyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements / Q000737:chemistry*; D008094:Lithium / Q000737:chemistry*; D008187:Lutetium / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D028581:Lanthanoid Series Elements; D008187:Lutetium; D008094:Lithium
keywords: LiLuF4; biodetection; disease biomarkers; nanoprobes; upconversion