abstract
Raman spectroscopy coupled with confocal microscopy offers an alternative bioimaging technique overcoming limitations associated with sensitivity, tissue penetration and image resolution. Allied to the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNP), we designed SERS nanoprobes with enhanced properties and straightforward application as bio-labelling agents for gliomas. The ensuing nanoprobes coated with simple sugar units (galactose or glucose) allowed assessing information about their intracellular localization (vesicular structures), with impressive sensitivity towards complex environments and proved the ability to overcome biological auto-fluorescence and high penetration in tissues. We validate the use of sugars as an all-in-one vector (Raman reporter, conferring high stability, biocompatibility and affinity to glioma cells) as imaging agents using an impressive technique.
keywords
SURFACE-ENHANCED RAMAN; GOLD NANOPARTICLES; RECENT PROGRESS; COLLOIDAL GOLD; TISSUE; CELLS; EXPRESSION; NANOSTRUCTURES; SPECTROSCOPY; GALECTIN-1
subject category
Materials Science, Biomaterials
authors
Gomes, MC; Chen, J; Cunha, A; Trindade, T; Zheng, G; Tome, JPC
our authors
Maria Clara Gomes
Junior Researcher
Tito Trindade
Full professoracknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Universities of Aveiro and Toronto, FundacAo para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT), and the European Union (COMPETE and FEDER programs) for the financial support to LAQV-REQUIMTE (UIDB/50006/2020), CESAM (FCT UIDP/50017/2020 + UIDB/50017/2020), CICECO (UIDB/50011/2020), and CQE (UIDB/00100/2020) research units through national funds and where applicable co-financed by the FEDER, within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement, and also to the Portuguese NMR Network. The Canada Research Chair Programs and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) supported the Nanomedicine Fabrication Center (www.NanoMedFab.com). M. Gomes (ySFRH/BD/88334/2012) is grateful to FCT for her PhD grant, and to BioRender.