title: Facile synthesis of fluorescent Au/Ce nanoclusters for high-sensitive bioimaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tumor-target fluorescence bioimaging is an important means of early diagnosis, metal nanoclusters have been used as an excellent fluorescent probe for marking tumor cells due to their targeted absorption. We have developed a new strategy for facile synthesis of Au/Ce nanoclusters (NCs) by doping trivalent cerium ion into seed crystal growth process of gold. Au/Ce NCs have bright fluorescence which could be used as fluorescent probe for bioimaging.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, we synthesized fluorescent Au/Ce NCs through two-step hydrothermal reaction. The concentration range of 25-350 μM, Au/Ce NCs have no obvious cell cytotoxicity effect on HeLa, HepG2 and L02 cells. Furthermore, normal cells (L02) have no obvious absorption of Au/Ce NCs. Characterization of synthesized Au/Ce NCs was done by using TEM, EDS and XPS. Then these prepared Au/Ce NCs were applied for in vitro/in vivo tumor-target bioimaging due to its prolonged fluorescence lifetime and bright luminescence properties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The glutathione stabilized Au/Ce NCs synthesized through hydrothermal reaction possess stable and bright fluorescence that can be readily utilized for high sensitive fluorescence probe. Our results suggest that Au/Ce NCs are useful candidate for in vitro/in vivo tumor bioimaging in potential clinical application.
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. gewei20126009@gmail.com.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Ge
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. zyy_850220@126.com.
authors: Yuanyuan
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. jing832808@163.com.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Ye
authors: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 211189, China. chendonghua710@163.com.
authors: Donghua
authors: D
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. dawarvet@hotmail.com.
authors: Fawad Ur
authors: FU
authors: Rehman
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. ajajeti@gmail.com.
authors: Qiwei
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. chenyun706@gmail.com.
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. sungi@seu.edu.cn.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Jiang
authors: State Key Lab of Bioelectronics (Chien-Shiung Wu Lab), Department of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China. xuewang@seu.edu.cn.
authors: Xuemei
authors: X
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002563:Cerium / Q000737:chemistry; D064907:Diagnostic Uses of Chemicals; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005978:Glutathione / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D056945:Hep G2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D064907:Diagnostic Uses of Chemicals; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D002563:Cerium; D006046:Gold; D005978:Glutathione
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