title: Raman Reporter-Coupled Ag(core)@Au(shell) Nanostars for in Vivo Improved Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering Imaging and Near-infrared-Triggered Photothermal Therapy in Breast Cancers.
abstract: Noble-metal nanomaterials were widely investigated as theranostic systems for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging, and also for photothermal therapy (PTT) of cancers. However, it was still a major challenge to explore multifunctional nanoprobes with high performance, high stability, and low toxicity. In this work, Raman reporter (DTTC)-coupled Agcore@Aushell nanostars (Ag@Au-DTTC) were synthesized and investigated for in vivo improved SERS imaging and near-infrared (NIR)-triggered PTT of breast cancers. By the two-step coupling of DTTC, the SERS signal was improved obviously, and the cytotoxicity of nanoparticles was also decreased by coating Au nanostars onto Ag nanoparticles. The as-prepared Ag@Au-DTTC nanostars showed high photostability and excellent photothermal performance, in which the photothermal conversion efficiency was up to 79.01% under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser. The in vitro and in vivo SERS measurements of Ag@Au-DTTC nanostars showed that the many sharp and narrow Raman peaks located at 508, 782, 844, 1135, 1242, 1331, 1464, 1510, and 1580 cm(-1) could be obviously observed in MCF-7 cells and in MCF-7 tumor-bearing nude mice, compared with that in pure DTTC. In 14-day treatments, the tumor volume of MCF-7 tumor-bearing nude mice injected with Ag@Au-DTTC nanostars and irradiated by an 808 nm laser almost disappeared. This study demonstrated that the as-prepared Ag@Au-DTTC nanostars could be excellent multifunctional agents for improved SERS imaging and NIR-triggered PTT of breast cancers with low risk.
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Leyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Yuanwei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shouju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xinmei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wenzhi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210002, P. R. China.|§State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guangming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Aiguo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D053769:Nanocapsules; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D006046:Gold
keywords: 808 nm laser; Agcore@Aushell nanostars; Raman reporter; improved SERS imaging; photothermal therapy