Chemiresistive/SERS dual sensor based on densely packed gold nanoparticles

Chemiresistors are a class of sensitive electrical devices capable of detecting (bio)chemicals by simply monitoring electrical resistance. Sensing based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) represents a radically different approach, in which molecules are optically detected according to their vibrational spectroscopic fingerprint. Despite different concepts are involved, one can find in the literature examples from both categories reporting sensors made of gold nanoparticles. The same building blocks appear because both sensor classes share a common principle: nanometric interparticle gaps are needed, for electron tunneling in chemiresistors, and for enhancing electromagnetic fields by plasmon coupling in SERS-based sensors. By exploiting such nano-gaps in self-assembled films of gold nanoparticles, we demonstrate the proof of concept of a dual electrical/optical sensor, with both chemiresistive and SERS capabilities. The proposed device is realized by self-assembling 15 nm gold nanoparticles into few micrometers-wide strips across commercially available interdigitated electrodes. The dual-mode operation of the device is demonstrated by the detection of a biologically relevant model analyte, 4-mercaptophenyl boronic acid

Folic Acid-Conjugated, SERS-Labeled Silver Nanotriangles for Multimodal Detection and Targeted Photothermal Treatment on Human Ovarian Cancer Cells

The effectiveness of a therapeutic agent for cancer stands in its ability to reduce and eliminate tumors without harming the healthy tissue nearby. Nanoparticles peripherally conjugated with targeting moieties offer major improvements in therapeutics through site specificity. In this study we demonstrate this approach by targeting the folate receptor of NIH:OVCAR-3 human ovary cancer cell line. Herein we used silver nanotriangles which were biocompatibilized with chitosan (bio)­polymer, labeled with para-aminothiophenol (pATP) Raman reporter molecule, and conjugated with folic acid. The nanoparticles conjugation and efficient labeling was investigated by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), zeta potential, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements. Conjugated particles were proven to be highly stable in aqueous and cellular medium. The targeted uptake of conjugated nanoparticles by human ovary cancer cells was confirmed by dark field microscopy and scattering spectra of the particles inside cells. Comparative studies revealed specific internalization of the conjugated nanoparticles in comparison with similar bare nanoparticles. Moreover, the SERS identity of the particles was proven to be highly conserved inside cells. Targeted cancer cell treatment conducted by irradiating the nanoparticle-treated cells with a continuous wave-nearinfrared (cw-NIR) laser in resonance with their plasmonic band proved an efficient therapeutic response. By integrating the advantages of multimodal optical imaging and SERS detection with hyperthermia capabilities through site specificity, these nanoparticles can represent a real candidate for personalized medicine

Comparative toxicity evaluation of flowershaped and spherical gold nanoparticles on human endothelial cells

Congrès sous l’égide de la Société Française de Génie Biologique et Médical (SFGBM)National audienceIn this work, we propose a multi-parametric in vitro study of the cytotoxicity of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on human endothelial cell (HUVEC). The cytotoxicity is evaluated by incubating cells with six different GNP types which have two different morphologies: spherical and flower-shaped, two sizes (ý15 and ý50 nm diameter) and two surface chemistries (as prepared form and PEGylated form). Our results showed that by increasing the concentration of GNPs the cell viability decreases with a toxic concentration threshold of 10 pM for spherical GNPs and of 1 pM for flower-shaped GNPs. Dark field images, flow cytometry and spreading test revealed that flower-shaped GNPs have more deleterious effects on the cell mechanisms than spherical GNPs. We demonstrated that the main parameter in the evaluation of the GNPs toxicity is the GNPs roughness and that this effect is independent on the surface chemistry. We assume that this behavior is highly related to the efficiency of the GNPs internalization within the cells and that this effect is enhanced due to the specific geometry of the flower-shaped GNPs