(24b) Multifunctional Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Theranostics

Plasmonic nanoparticles play an important role in biomedical applications today as they can serve as superior optically-stable bioimaging agents, be employed in biosensor devices for the early diagnosis of diseases, and exhibit promising results for their employment in vivo as therapeutic agents [1]. For several bioapplications, however, nanoparticles that express more than one functionality are often advantageous. This has led to the synthesis of multifunctional plasmonic nanoparticles that combine the attractive plasmonic properties with other functionalities like magnetism [2], photoluminescence [3], dispersibility in aqueous solutions and resistance to degradation. Here, biocompatible, SiO₂-coated, Janus-like multifunctional plasmonic nanoparticles are prepared by one-step, scalable flame aerosol technology. A nanothin SiO₂ shell around these multifunctional plasmonic-superparamagnetic nanoparticles leaves intact their morphology, magnetic and plasmonic properties but minimizes their toxicity. Furthermore, their specific absorption rate is determned, indicating potential in hyperthermia applications [4]. Their plasmonic performance as bioimaging agensts was explored by selectively binding them with live tagged Raji and HeLa cells enabling their detection under dark-filed illumination. Finally, their potential in photothermal treatment of cancer cells is investigated [5].

References

[1] G.A. Sotiriou, “Biomedical Applications of Multifunctional Plasmonic Nanoparticles”, WIREs Nanomed. Nanobiotechnol. 5, 19-30 (2013).

[2] G.A. Sotiriou, A. Hirt, P.-Y. Lozach, A. Teleki, F. Krumeich, S.E. Pratsinis, “Hybrid Silica-coated, Janus-like Plasmonic-Magnetic Nanoparticles”, Chem. Mater. 23, 1985-1992 (2011).

[3] G.A. Sotiriou, D. Franco, D. Poulikakos, A. Ferrari, “Optically Stable Biocompatible Flame-Made SiO2-Coated Y2O3:Tb3+ Nanophosphors for Cell Imaging”, ACS Nano 6, 3888–3897 (2012).

[4] G.A. Sotiriou, M.A. Visbal-Onufrak, A. Teleki, E.J. Juan, A.M. Hirt, S.E. Pratsinis, C. Rinaldi, “Thermal Energy Dissipation by SiO2-coated Plasmonic-Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles in Alternating Magnetic Fields”, Chem. Mater. 25, 4603-4612 (2013).

[5] G.A. Sotiriou, F. Starsich, A. Dasargyri, M.C. Wurnig, F. Krumeich, A. Boss, J-C. Leroux, S.E. Pratsinis. “Photothermal Killing of Cancer Cells by the Controlled Plasmonic Coupling of Silica-coated Au/Fe2O3 Nanoaggregates”, Adv. Funct. Mater. 24, 2818-2827 (2014).