1 research outputs found
Plasma Synthesis of Carbon-Based Nanocarriers for Linker-Free Immobilization of Bioactive Cargo
Multifunctional
nanoparticles are increasingly employed to improve
biological efficiency in medical imaging, diagnostics, and treatment
applications. However, even the most well-established nanoparticle
platforms rely on multiple-step wet-chemistry approaches for functionalization
often with linkers, substantially increasing complexity and cost,
while limiting efficacy. Plasma dust nanoparticles are ubiquitous
in space, commonly observed in reactive plasmas, and long regarded
as detrimental to many manufacturing processes. As the bulk of research
to date has sought to eliminate plasma nanoparticles, their potential
in theranostics has been overlooked. Here we show that carbon-activated
plasma-polymerized nanoparticles (nanoP<sup>3</sup>) can be synthesized
in dusty plasmas with tailored properties, in a process that is compatible
with scale up to high throughput, low-cost commercial production.
We demonstrate that nanoP<sup>3</sup> have a long active shelf life,
containing a reservoir of long-lived radicals embedded during their
synthesis that facilitate attachment of molecules upon contact with
the nanoparticle surface. Following synthesis, nanoP<sup>3</sup> are
transferred to the bench, where simple one-step incubation in aqueous
solution, without the need for intermediate chemical linkers or purification
steps, immobilizes multiple cargo that retain biological activity.
Bare nanoP<sup>3</sup> readily enter multiple cell types and do not
inhibit cell proliferation. Following functionalization with multiple
fluorescently labeled cargo, nanoP<sup>3</sup> retain their ability
to cross the cell membrane. This paper shows the unanticipated potential
of carbonaceous plasma dust for theranostics, facilitating simultaneous
imaging and cargo delivery on an easily customizable, functionalizable,
cost-effective, and scalable nanoparticle platform