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Multimodal Contrast Agent Enabling pH Sensing Based on Organically Functionalized Gold Nanoshells with Mn-Zn Ferrite
Duong Thuy Bui1,2, Radim Havelek3, Karel Královec3,4
1Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Cukrovarnická 10, 162 00 Prague, Czech Republic.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|February 15, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed advanced gold nanoshells for multimodal imaging and pH sensing. These nanoparticles offer enhanced biomedical research capabilities with minimal cytotoxicity, demonstrating significant potential for advanced diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Multimodal nanoparticles enhance biomedical research but are scarce.
- Gold nanoshells with magnetic cores offer potential for multimodal imaging and sensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize gold nanoshells with Mn-Zn ferrite cores for multimodal imaging and pH sensing.
- To evaluate the effect of surface functionalization on cell interaction and cytotoxicity.
- To demonstrate the combined imaging and sensing capabilities of the developed nanoshells.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of gold nanoshells with Mn-Zn ferrite cores.
- Characterization using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, TEM, magnetic measurements, UV-Vis, DLS, and electrophoretic light scattering.
- Functionalization with model molecules and SERS/fluorescent probes for multimodal imaging and pH sensing.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized and characterized gold nanoshells with desired properties.
- Demonstrated no significant cytotoxic effects across different surface functionalizations.
- Confirmed multimodal imaging potential (MRI, PAI, fluorescence) and pH-sensing capability via SERS.
Conclusions:
- Developed a versatile gold nanoshell platform for multimodal imaging and pH sensing.
- The nanoshells exhibit excellent transverse relaxivity and pH-dependent SERS response.
- This probe shows promise for advanced biomedical research and diagnostics.
