Highly Luminescent Folate-Functionalized Au-22 Nanoclusters for Bioimaging
- Authors
- Pyo, Kyunglim; Nguyen Hoang Ly; Yoon, Sook Young; Shen, Yiming; Choi, Seon Young; Lee, So Yeong; Joo, Sang-Woo; Lee, Dongil
- Issue Date
- Aug-2017
- Publisher
- WILEY
- Keywords
- Au-22 nanoclusters; bioimaging; folate; luminescent probes
- Citation
- ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS, v.6, no.16
- Journal Title
- ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
- Volume
- 6
- Number
- 16
- URI
- http://scholarworks.bwise.kr/ssu/handle/2018.sw.ssu/6275
- DOI
- 10.1002/adhm.201700203
- ISSN
- 2192-2640
- Abstract
- Gold nanoclusters are emerging as new materials for biomedical applications because of promises offered by their ultrasmall size and excellent biocompatibility. Here, the synthesis and optical and biological characterizations of a highly luminescent folate-functionalized Au-22 cluster (Au-22-FA) are reported. The Au-22-FA clusters are synthesized by functionalizing the surface of Au-22(SG)(18) clusters, where SG is glutathione, with benzyl chloroformate and folate. The functionalized clusters are highly water-soluble and exhibit remarkably bright luminescence with a quantum yield of 42%, significantly higher than any other water-soluble gold clusters protected with thiolate ligands. The folate groups conjugated to the gold cluster give rise to additional luminescence enhancement by energy transfer sensitization. The brightness of Au-22-FA is found to be 4.77 mM(-1) cm(-1), nearly 8-fold brighter than that of Au-22(SG)(18). Further biological characterizations have revealed that the Au-22-FA clusters are well-suited for bioimaging. The Au-22-FA clusters exhibit excellent photostability and low toxicity; nearly 80% cell viability at 1000 ppm of the cluster. Additionally, the Au-22-FA clusters show target specificity to folate-receptor positive cells. Finally, the time-course in vivo luminescence images of intravenous-injected mice show that the Au-22-FA clusters are renal-clearable, leaving only 8% of them remained in the body after 24 h post-injection.
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Collections - College of Natural Sciences > Department of Chemistry > 1. Journal Articles
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