title: Aptamer-conjugated, fluorescent gold nanorods as potential cancer theradiagnostic agents.
abstract: GNRs are emerging as a new class of probes for theradiagnostic applications thanks to their unique optical properties. However, the achievement of proper nanoconstructs requires the synthesis of highly pure GNRs with well-defined aspect ratio (AR), in addition to extensive surface chemistry modification to provide them with active targeting and, possibly, multifunctionality. In this work, we refined the method of the seed mediated growth and developed a robust procedure for the fabrication of GNRs with specific AR. We also revealed and characterized unexplored aging phenomena that follow the synthesis and consistently alter GNRs' final AR. Such advances appreciably improved the feasibility of GNRs fabrication and offered useful insights on the growth mechanism. We next produced fluorescent, biocompatible, aptamer-conjugated GNRs by performing ligand exchange followed by bioconjugation to anti-cancer oligonucleotide AS1411. In vitro studies showed that our nanoconstructs selectively target cancer cells while showing negligible cytotoxicity. As a result, our aptamer-conjugated GNRs constitute ideal cancer-selective multifunctional probes and promising candidates as photothermal therapy agents.
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK. Electronic address: m.gallina@imperial.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Maria Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gallina
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Biology Centre, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Biology Centre, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harris-Birtill
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Hailin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Daqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Biology Centre, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cass
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Institute of Global Health Innovation and Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Elson
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006046:Gold
keywords: Aptamer; Fluorescence microscopy; Gold nanorods; Photothermal therapy; Targeted cancer labelling