Dual plasmonic gold nanostars for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To fabricate multimodal nanoconstruct that act as a single node for photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photothermal therapy (PTT) in the fight against cancer.


METHODS
Dual plasmonic gold nanostars (DPGNS) were chemically synthesized by reducing gold precursor using ascorbic acid and silver ions as shape directing agent. PAI and PTT were performed using commonly available 1064 nm laser source on DPGNS embedded tumor xenografts on mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Photoacoustic amplitude increase with longer wavelength source and with silica coating of DPGNS. The in vivo photothermal capability of DPGNS resulted in a significant decrease in the tumor cellular area. DPGNS exhibited potential for single node diagnosis and therapy with longer wavelength facilitating deeper imaging and therapy.
School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
Vijay
V
Raghavan
Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI), School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Cathal
C
O'Flatharta
Discipline of Surgery, Lambe Institute for Translational Research, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.
Roisin
R
Dwyer
Tissue Optics & Microcirculation Imaging Facility, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Aedán
A
Breathnach
Tissue Optics & Microcirculation Imaging Facility, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Haroon
H
Zafar
Anatomy, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Peter
P
Dockery
Physiology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Antony
A
Wheatley
Department of Surgery, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Ivan
I
Keogh
Tissue Optics & Microcirculation Imaging Facility, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.|Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland.|National Biophotonics & Imaging Platform, Dublin, Ireland.
Martin
M
Leahy
School of Physics, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland.|Bio-optical Imaging Group, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology & Research, Singapore.
Malini
M
Olivo
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques; D010789:Phototherapy; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D006046:Gold
gold nanostar; near infrared imaging; optical window; photoacoustic imaging; photothermal therapy; plasmonic nanoparticles; silica shell; surface plasmon resonance