Preparation of RuBpy-doped Silica Fluorescent Nanoprobes and Their Applications to the Recognition of Liver Cancer Cells

Abstract

Abstract Two different functional groups modified RuBpy-doped silica fluorescent nanoprobes Probe A and B that conjugated with avidin were prepared for the recognition of liver cancer cells. Firstly RuBpy-doped silica nanoparticles were synthesized by reverse microemulsion and then modified with different functional groups. Probe A was prepared by the conjugation of avidin with carboxyl modified nanoparticles through covalent binding using EDC/sulfo-NHS, whereas Probe B was prepared by the conjugation of avidin with the PEG linkers on the surface nanoparticles using cyanogen bromide method. Therefore, different from Probe A, Probe B was obtained by coupling avidin to the nanoparticles through long-chain PEG molecules. The two probes were incubated with liver cancer cells respectively, and microscopic fluorescence imaging showed that Probe B which contained PEG molecules was more effectively applied for the recognition of tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in liver cancer cells.