Multi-luminescent hybrid gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as potential cell labeling

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Developing advanced cell-labeling tracers is crucial for biological research.
• Existing tracers often face limitations in stability, photostability, or biocompatibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the utility of novel hybrid gadolinium oxide nanoparticles as multi-labeling cell tracers.
• To evaluate their efficiency, stability, and biocompatibility for in-vitro cell tracking.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of core-shell gadolinium oxide nanoparticles with embedded organic dyes (FITC, RBITC) and poly(ethylene glycol) functionalization.
• In-vitro cell uptake studies in human fibroblasts and MCF7 cells using optical imaging.
• Confocal microscopy for intracellular distribution analysis and ICP-MS for gadolinium quantification.
• Assessment of cell growth and photostability of encapsulated dyes.

Main Results:

• Efficient and rapid internalization of nanoparticles into both cell lines without causing cell alteration.
• Fluorescent labeling detected within 10 minutes, concentrated in the perinuclear region, and detectable for over 3 days.
• Polysiloxane shell significantly enhances the photostability of rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RBITC), comparable to Alexa 595.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid gadolinium oxide nanoparticles are effective, stable, and biocompatible multi-labeling tracers for cell tracking.
• The polysiloxane shell provides crucial protection, enhancing dye photostability and overall nanoparticle performance.
• These nanoparticles present a versatile solution for assessing cell fate in both in-vitro and in-vivo settings.