title: Cell-specific optoporation with near-infrared ultrafast laser and functionalized gold nanoparticles.
abstract: Selective targeting of diseased cells can increase therapeutic efficacy and limit off-target adverse effects. We developed a new tool to selectively perforate living cells with functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond (fs) laser. The receptor CD44 strongly expressed by cancer stem cells was used as a model for selective targeting. Citrate-capped AuNPs (100 nm in diameter) functionalized with 0.01 orthopyridyl-disulfide-poly(ethylene glycol) (5 kDa)-N-hydroxysuccinimide (OPSS-PEG-NHS) conjugated to monoclonal antibodies per nm(2) and 5 μM HS-PEG (5 kDa) were colloidally stable in cell culture medium containing serum proteins. These AuNPs attached mostly as single particles 115 times more to targeted CD44(+) MDA-MB-231 and CD44(+) ARPE-19 cells than to non-targeted CD44(-) 661W cells. Optimally functionalized AuNPs enhanced the fs laser (800 nm, 80-100 mJ cm(-2) at 250 Hz or 60-80 mJ cm(-2) at 500 Hz) to selectively perforate targeted cells without affecting surrounding non-targeted cells in co-culture. This novel highly versatile treatment paradigm can be adapted to target and perforate other cell populations by adapting to desired biomarkers. Since living biological tissues absorb energy very weakly in the NIR range, the developed non-invasive tool may provide a safe, cost-effective clinically relevant approach to ablate pathologically deregulated cells and limit complications associated with surgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Laser Processing and Plasmonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, C.P. 6079, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, Canada. michel.meunier@polymtl.ca.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergeron
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boutopoulos
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rodriguez
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lebrun
authors.forename: Françoise M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Winnik
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sapieha
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meunier
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007834:Lasers; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D013388:Succinimides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D013388:Succinimides; D019343:Citric Acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; C001426:N-hydroxysuccinimide