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Sturari S, Andreana I, Aprà P, Bincoletto V, Kopecka J, Mino L, Zurletti B, Stella B, Riganti C, Arpicco S, Picollo F. Designing functionalized nanodiamonds with hyaluronic acid-phospholipid conjugates for enhanced cancer cell targeting and fluorescence imaging capabilities. NANOSCALE 2024. [PMID: 38855987 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00932k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Nanomedicine aims to develop smart approaches for treating cancer and other diseases to improve patient survival and quality of life. Novel nanoparticles as nanodiamonds (NDs) represent promising candidates to overcome current limitations. In this study, NDs were functionalized with a 200 kDa hyaluronic acid-phospholipid conjugate (HA/DMPE), enhancing the stability of the nanoparticles in water-based solutions and selectivity for cancer cells overexpressing specific HA cluster determinant 44 (CD44) receptors. These nanoparticles were characterized by diffuse reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, confirming the efficacy of the functionalization process. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the size distribution of the dry particles, while dynamic light scattering and zeta potential measurements were utilized to evaluate ND behavior in a water-based medium. Furthermore, the ND biocompatibility and uptake mediated by CD44 receptors in three different models of human adenocarcinoma cells were assessed by performing cytofluorimetric assay and confocal microscopy. HA-functionalized nanodiamonds demonstrated the advantage of active targeting in the presence of cancer cells expressing CD44 on the surface, suggesting higher drug delivery to tumors over non-tumor tissues. Even CD44-poorly expressing cancers could be targeted by the NDs, thanks to their good passive diffusion within cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Sturari
- Department of Physics, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy.
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Sect. Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Ilaria Andreana
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Pietro Aprà
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Sect. Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Valeria Bincoletto
- NIS Inter-Departmental Centre, via G. Quarello 15/a, 10135 Torino, Italy
| | - Joanna Kopecka
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mino
- NIS Inter-Departmental Centre, via G. Quarello 15/a, 10135 Torino, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Beatrice Zurletti
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Barbara Stella
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Chiara Riganti
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, Piazza Nizza 44, 10126 Torino, Italy
| | - Silvia Arpicco
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 9, 10125, Torino, Italy.
| | - Federico Picollo
- Department of Physics, University of Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy.
- National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Sect. Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino, Italy
- NIS Inter-Departmental Centre, via G. Quarello 15/a, 10135 Torino, Italy
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2
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Priyadarshni N, Singh R, Mishra MK. Nanodiamonds: Next generation nano-theranostics for cancer therapy. Cancer Lett 2024; 587:216710. [PMID: 38369006 PMCID: PMC10961193 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Cancer remains a leading global cause of mortality, demanding early diagnosis and effective treatment. Traditional therapeutic methods often fall short due to their need for more specificity and systemic toxicity. In this challenging landscape, nanodiamonds (ND) emerge as a potential solution, mitigating the limitations of conventional approaches. ND are tiny carbon particles that mimic traditional diamonds chemical stability and hardness and harness nanomaterials' advantages. ND stands out for the unique properties that make them promising nanotheranostics candidates, combining therapeutic and imaging capabilities in one platform. Many of these applications depend on the design of the particle's surface, as the surface's role is crucial in transporting bioactive molecules, preventing aggregation, and building composite materials. This review delves into ND's distinctive features, structural and optical characteristics, and their profound relevance in advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment methods. The report delves into how these exceptional ND properties drive the development of state-of-the-art techniques for precise tumor targeting, boosting the effectiveness of chemotherapy as a chemosensitizer, harnessing immunotherapy strategies, facilitating precision medicine, and creating localized microfilm devices for targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivedita Priyadarshni
- Cancer Biology Research and Training, Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, USA
| | - Rajesh Singh
- Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Immunology, Cancer Health Equity Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Manoj K Mishra
- Cancer Biology Research and Training, Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, USA.
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3
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Zhang M, Shuai XX, Wei Z, Dai TT, Wei CB, Li Y, He JJ, Du LQ. Characterization, antioxidant and antitumor activities of phenolic compounds from Amomum villosum Lour. Front Nutr 2024; 11:1327164. [PMID: 38379541 PMCID: PMC10876855 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1327164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Amomum villosum Lour. (A. villosum), known as Sharen in China, is widely used for culinary and medicinal purposes due to containing a diverse set of bioactive compounds. In this study, the optimum ethanol extraction process was optimized and the composition and biological activities (antioxidant and antitumor) of five different fractions (dichloromethane, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and H2O) extracted from the ethanol extract of A. villosum were investigated. The results showed that the optimal extraction conditions were extraction temperature 80°C, extraction time 120 min, ethanol concentration 40% and solid-liquid ratio 1:25 g/mL. Moreover, 35 bioactive compounds were successfully identified by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS from five factions for the first time, including 12 phenolic acids and derivatives, 2 organic acids, 12 flavonoids and derivatives, 2 oxylipins and 7 proanthocyanidins. Among them, ethyl acetate fraction (Fr-EtOAc) exhibited the highest content of total phenolic (374.01 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoid (93.11 mg RE/g DW), where vanillic acid, catechin, epicatechin and protocatechuic acid were the predominant phenolic compounds that accounting for 81.65% of the quantified bioactive compounds. In addition, Fr-EtOAc demonstrated excellent total antioxidant activity (IC50 of DPPH and ABTS assays were 0.23, 0.08 mg/mL, respectively, and FRAP assay was 322.91 mg VCE/100 g DW) and antitumor activity (1,000 μg/mL, 79.04% inhibition rate). The results could provide guidance for the industrial production and application of A. villosum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Hainan Province for Postharvest Physiology and Technology of Tropical Horticultural Products, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xi-xiang Shuai
- South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Hainan Province for Postharvest Physiology and Technology of Tropical Horticultural Products, Zhanjiang, China
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhi Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Tao-tao Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Chang-bin Wei
- South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Hainan Province for Postharvest Physiology and Technology of Tropical Horticultural Products, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Ya Li
- South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Hainan Province for Postharvest Physiology and Technology of Tropical Horticultural Products, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jun-jun He
- Zhanjiang Experimental Station, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Li-qing Du
- South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, China Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Hainan Province for Postharvest Physiology and Technology of Tropical Horticultural Products, Zhanjiang, China
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Zhang Q, Xue H, Zhang H, Chen Y, Liu Z, Fan Z, Guo X, Wu X, Zhang D, Tu J. Enhanced thrombolytic effect induced by acoustic cavitation generated from nitrogen-doped annealed nanodiamond particles. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 99:106563. [PMID: 37647744 PMCID: PMC10474234 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
In biomedical research, ultrasonic cavitation, especially inertial cavitation (IC) has attracted extensive attentions due to its ability to induce mechanical, chemical and thermal effects. Like ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) microbubbles or droplets, acoustic cavitation can be effectively triggered beyond a certain pressure threshold through the interaction between ultrasound and nucleation particles, leading to an enhanced thrombolytic effect. As a newly developed nanocarbon material, nitrogen-doped annealed nanodiamond (N-AND) has shown promising catalytic performance. To further explore its effects on ultrasonic cavitation, N-AND was synthesized at the temperature of 1000 °C. After systematic material characterization, the potential of N-AND to induce enhanced IC activity was assessed for the first time by using passive cavitation detection (PCD). Based on experiments performed at varied material suspension concentration and cycle number, N-AND demonstrated a strong capability to generate significant cavitation characteristics, indicating the formation of stable bubbles from the surface of the materials. Furthermore, N-AND was applied in the in vitro thrombolysis experiments to verify its contribution to ultrasound thrombolysis. The influence of surface hydrophobicity on the cavitation potentials of ND and N-AND was innovatively discussed in combination with the theory of mote-induced nucleation. It is found that the cavitation stability of N-AND was better than that of the commercial UCA microbubbles. This study would provide better understanding of the potential of novel carbonous nanomaterials as cavitation nuclei and is expected to provide guidance for their future biomedical and industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Honghui Xue
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China; Wuxi Vocational Institute of Commerce, Wuxi 214153, Jiangsu, China
| | - Haijun Zhang
- Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; National United Engineering Laboratory for Biomedical Material Modification, Branden Industrial Park, Dezhou 251100, Shandong, China
| | - Yuqi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zijun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Zheng Fan
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Xiasheng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xiaoge Wu
- Environment Science and Engineering College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Dong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Juan Tu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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5
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Wen H, Kordahl D, Kuschnerus IC, Reineck P, Macmillan A, Chang HC, Dwyer C, Chang SLY. Correlative Fluorescence and Transmission Electron Microscopy Assisted by 3D Machine Learning Reveals Thin Nanodiamonds Fluoresce Brighter. ACS NANO 2023; 17:16491-16500. [PMID: 37594320 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) draw widespread attention as quantum sensors due to their room-temperature luminescence, exceptional photo- and chemical stability, and biocompatibility. For bioscience applications, NV centers in FNDs offer high-spatial-resolution capabilities that are unparalleled by other solid-state nanoparticle emitters. On the other hand, pursuits to further improve the optical properties of FNDs have reached a bottleneck, with intense debate in the literature over which of the many factors are most pertinent. Here, we describe how substantial progress can be achieved using a correlative transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence (TEMPL) method that we have developed. TEMPL enables a precise correlative analysis of the fluorescence brightness, size, and shape of individual FND particles. Augmented with machine learning, TEMPL can be used to analyze a large, statistically meaningful number of particles. Our results reveal that FND fluorescence is strongly dependent on particle shape, specifically, that thin, flake-shaped particles are up to several times brighter and that fluorescence increases with decreasing particle sphericity. Our theoretical analysis shows that these observations are attributable to the constructive interference of light waves within the FNDs. Our findings have significant implications for state-of-the-art sensing applications, and they offer potential avenues for improving the sensitivity and resolution of quantum sensing devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Wen
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - David Kordahl
- Department of Physics and Engineering, Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport, Louisiana 71104, United States
| | - Inga C Kuschnerus
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Philipp Reineck
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Bio Photonics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Alexander Macmillan
- BMIF, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Huan-Cheng Chang
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Christian Dwyer
- Electron Imaging and Spectroscopy Tools, PO Box 506, Sans Souci, NSW 2219, Australia
- Physics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Shery L Y Chang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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6
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Li R, Vedelaar TA, Sigaeva A, Zhang Y, Wu K, Wang H, Wu X, Olinga P, Wlodarzyk-Biegun M, Schirhagl R. Fluorescent Nanodiamonds for Tracking Single Polymer Particles in Cells and Tissues. Anal Chem 2023; 95:13046-13054. [PMID: 37612789 PMCID: PMC10483464 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Polymer nanoparticles are widely used in drug delivery and are also a potential concern due to the increased burden of nano- or microplastics in the environment. In order to use polymer nanoparticles safely and understand their mechanism of action, it is useful to know where within cells and tissues they end up. To this end, we labeled polymer nanoparticles with nanodiamond particles. More specifically, we have embedded nanodiamond particles in the polymer particles and characterized the composites. Compared to conventional fluorescent dyes, these labels have the advantage that nanodiamonds do not bleach or blink, thus allowing long-term imaging and tracking of polymer particles. We have demonstrated this principle both in cells and entire liver tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runrun Li
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thea A. Vedelaar
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alina Sigaeva
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kaiqi Wu
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hui Wang
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, Groningen
University, Nijenborgh
4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Xixi Wu
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, Groningen
University, Nijenborgh
4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Olinga
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, Groningen University, University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Małgorzata
K. Wlodarzyk-Biegun
- Zernike
Institute for Advanced Materials, Groningen
University, Nijenborgh
4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Biotechnology
Centre, The Silesian University of Technology, Krzywoustego 8, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
| | - Romana Schirhagl
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Groningen University,
University Medical Center Groningen, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, 9713AV Groningen, The Netherlands
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El-Atty SMA, Lizos KA, Alfarraj O, Shawki F. Internet of Bio Nano Things-based FRET nanocommunications for eHealth. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2023; 20:9246-9267. [PMID: 37161241 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2023405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The integration of the Internet of Bio Nano Things (IoBNT) with artificial intelligence (AI) and molecular communications technology is now required to achieve eHealth, specifically in the targeted drug delivery system (TDDS). In this work, we investigate an analytical framework for IoBNT with Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) nanocommunication to enable intelligent bio nano thing (BNT) machine to accurately deliver therapeutic drug to the diseased cells. The FRET nanocommunication is accomplished by using the well-known pair of fluorescent proteins, EYFP and ECFP. Furthermore, the proposed IoBNT monitors drug transmission by using the quenching process in order to reduce side effects in healthy cells. We investigate the IoBNT framework by driving diffusional rate models in the presence of a quenching process. We evaluate the performance of the proposed framework in terms of the energy transfer efficiency, diffusion-controlled rate and drug loss rate. According to the simulation results, the proposed IoBNT with the intelligent bio nano thing for monitoring the quenching process can significantly achieve high energy transfer efficiency and low drug delivery loss rate, i.e., accurately delivering the desired therapeutic drugs to the diseased cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saied M Abd El-Atty
- The Department of Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Menoufia University, Menouf 23952, Egypt
| | - Konstantinos A Lizos
- Department of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo (UiO), Norway
| | - Osama Alfarraj
- Computer Science Department, Community College, King Saud University, Riyadh 11437, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faird Shawki
- The Department of Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Menoufia University, Menouf 23952, Egypt
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Padrez Y, Golubewa L, Bahdanava A, Jankunec M, Matulaitiene I, Semenov D, Karpicz R, Kulahava T, Svirko Y, Kuzhir P. Nanodiamond surface as a photoluminescent pH sensor. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 34:195702. [PMID: 36745919 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/acb94b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A systematic spectroscopic characterization of highly homogeneous water suspensions of 'buckydiamonds' comprising sp3cubic nanodiamond (ND) core covered with disordered sp2shell densely decorated with oxygen-containing groups demonstrates the excitation-wavelength-dependent photoluminescence (PL) given by at least four types of specific structures on the ND surface (hydroxyl, C=O containing ketones, carboxylic anhydrides, and carboxyl groups). PL properties of NDs suspensions possess concentration-dependent behavior revealing tendency of NDs to agglomerate. PL of NDs has been found to be strongly sensitive to pH of the environment in wide range of pH values, i.e. 2-11. We disclosed the mechanisms of pH sensitivity of the 'buckydiamond' and proved that it can serve as all-optical sensor of tiny pH variations suitable for further exploitation for pH sensing locally in the area where NDs have been delivered for any purpose, e.g. bioimaging or therapeutic needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaraslau Padrez
- Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Lena Golubewa
- Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Department of Physics and Mathematics, Center for Photonics Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Anastasiya Bahdanava
- Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Marija Jankunec
- Institute of Biochemistry, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ieva Matulaitiene
- Department of Organic Chemistry, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Dmitry Semenov
- School of Computing, Faculty of Science and Forestry, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Renata Karpicz
- Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tatsiana Kulahava
- Department of Molecular Compounds Physics, State research institute Center for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Yuri Svirko
- Department of Physics and Mathematics, Center for Photonics Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Polina Kuzhir
- Department of Physics and Mathematics, Center for Photonics Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
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Abstract
Relaxometry is a technique which makes use of a specific crystal lattice defect in diamond, the so-called NV center. This defect consists of a nitrogen atom, which replaces a carbon atom in the diamond lattice, and an adjacent vacancy. NV centers allow converting magnetic noise into optical signals, which dramatically increases the sensitivity of the readout, allowing for nanoscale resolution. Analogously to T1 measurements in conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), relaxometry allows the detection of different concentrations of paramagnetic species. However, since relaxometry allows very local measurements, the detected signals are from nanoscale voxels around the NV centers. As a result, it is possible to achieve subcellular resolutions and organelle specific measurements.A relaxometry experiment starts with polarizing the spins of NV centers in the diamond lattice, using a strong laser pulse. Afterward the laser is switched off and the NV centers are allowed to stochastically decay into the equilibrium mix of different magnetic states. The polarized configuration exhibits stronger fluorescence than the equilibrium state, allowing one to optically monitor this transition and determine its rate. This process happens faster at higher levels of magnetic noise. Alternatively, it is possible to conduct T1 relaxation measurements from the dark to the bright equilibrium by applying a microwave pulse which brings NV centers into the -1 state instead of the 0 state. One can record a spectrum of T1 at varying strengths of the applied magnetic field. This technique is called cross-relaxometry. Apart from detecting magnetic signals, responsive coatings can be applied which render T1 sensitive to other parameters as pH, temperature, or electric field. Depending on the application there are three different ways to conduct relaxometry experiments: relaxometry in moving or stationary nanodiamonds, scanning magnetometry, and relaxometry in a stationary bulk diamond with a stationary sample on top.In this Account, we present examples for various relaxometry modes as well as their advantages and limitations. Due to the simplicity and low cost of the approach, relaxometry has been implemented in many different instruments and for a wide range of applications. Herein we review the progress that has been achieved in physics, chemistry, and biology. Many articles in this field have a proof-of-principle character, and the full potential of the technology still waits to be unfolded. With this Account, we would like to stimulate discourse on the future of relaxometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldona Mzyk
- Groningen
University, University Medical
Center Groningen, Antonius
Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW Groningen, the Netherlands,Institute
of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Reymonta 25, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Alina Sigaeva
- Groningen
University, University Medical
Center Groningen, Antonius
Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Romana Schirhagl
- Groningen
University, University Medical
Center Groningen, Antonius
Deusinglaan 1, 9713AW Groningen, the Netherlands,
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