Structure and dysprosium dopant engineering of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles for enhanced dual-modal magnetic resonance and fluorescence imaging.
We report a class of multi-functional core-shell nanoarchitectures, consisting of silica nanospheres as the core and Gd2O3:Dy3+nanocrystals as the ultra-thin shell, that enable unique multi-color living cell imaging and remarkable in vivo magnetic resonance imaging. These types of targeted cell imaging nanoarchitectures can be used as a variety of fluorescence nanoprobes due to the multi-color emissions of the Gd2O3:Dy3+nanophosphor. We also proposed a strategy of modulating core-shell structure design to achieve an enhanced magnetic resonance contrast ability of Gd2O3nanoagents, and the classical Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan theory was applied to explicate the mechanism underlying the enhancement. The as-synthesized ligand-free nanomaterial possesses a suitable particle size for cellular uptake as well as avoiding penetrating the blood-brain barrier with good water-solubility, stability, dispersibility and uniformity. The extremely low cytotoxicity and favorable biocompatibility obtained from in vitro and in vivo bioassays of the as-designed nanoparticles indicate their excellent potential as a candidate for functioning as a targeted nanoprobe.
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Jinchang
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0964-7121
J
Yin
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Chaorui
C
Li
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Deqi
D
Chen
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Jiajun
J
Yang
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Huan
H
Liu
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Wenyong
W
Hu
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. stssyz@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Yuanzhi
Y
Shao
D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004419:Dysprosium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D061848:Optical Imaging
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D004419:Dysprosium; C030581:gadolinium oxide; D005682:Gadolinium