Abstract 1966: Plasmonic gold nanostars: A potential agent for molecular imaging and cancer therapy

Abstract

Abstract Gold nanoparticles offer great potential for bioapplication due to their biocompatibility, chemical stability, and plasmon tunability. Due to the increased demand in custom-designed bioapplication, tailoring nanoparticle's plasmon for a specific application remains an active area of research. Plasmonic gold nanostars, with their sharp tips and small cores, yield unique optical properties in the near infrared region favorable for biological applications. We present a high-yield biocompatible synthesis of gold nanostars, whose geometry is adjustable such that the plasmon band can be tuned into the near-infrared “tissue diagnostic window”. Nanostars offer several interesting plasmon properties including intense surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for ultrasensitive detection, strong two-photon photoluminescence (TPL) for real-time particle tracking, and efficient photothermal transduction for hyperthermic therapy. Here, we demonstrate nanostars tracking and photothermal ablation both in vitro and in vivo. Using SKBR3 breast cancer cells incubated with bare nanostars, photothermal ablation was observed within 5 minutes of irradiation (980 nm CW laser, 15 W/cm2). On a mouse preinfused systemically with PEGylated nanostars for 2 days, extravasation of nanostars was observed and localized photothermal ablation was demonstrated on a dorsal window chamber within 10 minutes of irradiation (785 nm CW laser, 1.1 W/cm2). These preliminary results have illustrated the theranostic potential of gold nanostars for the use in molecular imaging and cancer therapy. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1966. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1966