electroactive-polymer-nanoparticles-exhibiting-photothermal-properties

Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties

A method for the synthesis of electroactive polymers is demonstrated, starting with the synthesis of extended conjugation monomers using a three-step ...

The University of Texas at Austin

The nanometer size scale of quantum dots (QDs) along with their unique luminescent properties offers great potential as photostable, color-metrically addressable nanoparticle platforms for high-throughput detection and identification of proteins. Here we apply microcontact printing for assembling quantum dot nanoparticle arrays with retained biomolecular capture functionality onto glass surfaces. This method allows the creation of addressable QD arrays on macroscopic glass surfaces. Using fluorescence and AFM imaging, we find that microcontact-printed QDs self-assemble predominantly as monolayers with highly resolved definition. Microcontact-printed streptavidin-conjugated red QDs exhibit retained adsorption onto silane-treated glass and exhibit functionality as demonstrated by the capture of discrete groups of biotin-conjugated red QDs by printed streptavidin-green QD bioconjugates that is at the detection limit of a few discrete protein binding events. These results indicate that microcontact printing of QD bioconjugate arrays serves as a simple technique that allows localized spatial capture and sensitive detection of proteins. This technique may be useful for development of future fluorescent QD-based systems aimed at the parallel capture and detection of trace concentrations of protein.

Microcontact printing of quantum dot bioconjugate arrays for localized capture and detection of biomolecules.

Thermal disruption of protein structure and function is a potentially powerful therapeutic vehicle. With the emerging nanoparticle-targeting and femtosecond laser technology, it is possible to deliver heating locally to specific molecules. It is therefore important to understand how fast a protein can unfold or lose its function at high temperatures, such as near the water boiling point. In this study, the thermal damage of EGF was investigated by combining the replica exchange (136 replicas) and conventional molecular dynamics simulations. The REMD simulation was employed to rigorously explore the free-energy landscape of EGF unfolding. Interestingly, besides the native and unfolded states, we also observed a distinct molten globule (MG) state that retained substantial amount of native contacts. Based on the understanding that which the unfolding of EGF is a three-state process, we have examined the unfolding kinetics of EGF (N-->MG and MG-->D) with multiple 20-ns conventional MD simulations. The Arrhenius prefactors and activation energy barriers determined from the simulation are within the range of previously studied proteins. In contrast to the thermal damage of cells and tissues which take place on the time scale of seconds to hours at relatively low temperatures, the denaturation of proteins occur in nanoseconds when the temperature of heat bath approaches the boiling point.

Temperature-induced unfolding of epidermal growth factor (EGF): insight from molecular dynamics simulation.

Ligand-stabilized copper selenide (Cu(2-x)Se) nanocrystals, approximately 16 nm in diameter, were synthesized by a colloidal hot injection method and coated with amphiphilic polymer. The nanocrystals readily disperse in water and exhibit strong near-infrared (NIR) optical absorption with a high molar extinction coefficient of 7.7 × 10(7) cm(-1) M(-1) at 980 nm. When excited with 800 nm light, the Cu(2-x)Se nanocrystals produce significant photothermal heating with a photothermal transduction efficiency of 22%, comparable to nanorods and nanoshells of gold (Au). In vitro photothermal heating of Cu(2-x)Se nanocrystals in the presence of human colorectal cancer cell (HCT-116) led to cell destruction after 5 min of laser irradiation at 33 W/cm(2), demonstrating the viabilitiy of Cu(2-x)Se nanocrystals for photothermal therapy applications.

Copper selenide nanocrystals for photothermal therapy.

Near-infrared (NIR) absorbing plasmonic nanoparticles enhance photothermal therapy of tumors. In this procedure, systemically delivered gold nanoparticles preferentially accumulate at the tumor site and when irradiated using laser light, produce localized heat sufficient to damage tumor cells. Gold nanoshells and nanorods have been widely studied for this purpose, and while both exhibit strong NIR absorption, their overall absorption and scattering properties differ widely due to their geometry. In this paper, we compared the photothermal response of both nanoparticle types including the heat generation and photothermal efficiency.

Varun Pattani

Department of Biomedical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties

Varun Pattani

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Biomedical Engineering

The University of Texas at Austin

Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties

Department of Biomedical Engineering