Interferometry and Fluorescence Detection for Simultaneous Analysis of Labeled and Unlabeled Nanoparticles in Solution

In situ quantitative measurements on MMP-9 activity in single living cells by single molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays an important role in tumor progression. It is of great significance to establish a sensitive in situ assay strategy for MMP-9 activity in single living cells. Here a novel in situ single molecule spectroscopy method based on the fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) technique was proposed for measuring the MMP-9 activity at different locations within single living cells, using a fluorescent specific peptide and a reference dye as dual probes. The measurement principle is based on the decrease of the ratiometric translational diffusion time of dual probes in the detection volume due to the peptide cleavage caused by MMP-9. The peptide probe was designed to be composed of an MMP-9 cleavage and cell-penetrating peptide sequence that was labeled with a fluorophore and conjugated with a streptavidin (SAV) molecule. The ratiometric translational diffusion time was used as the measurement parameter to eliminate the effect of intracellular uncertain viscosity. The linear relationship between the ratiometric diffusion time and MMP-9 activity was established, and applied to the determination of enzymatic activity in cell lysates as well as the evaluation of the inhibitory effects of different inhibitors on MMP-9. More importantly, the method was successfully used to dynamically determine MMP-9 activity in single living cells or under the stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and inhibitors.

A study of protein–drug interaction based on solvent-induced protein aggregation by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Based on the inhibition of protein aggregation by drugs in organic solvent systems, we developed an effective method to study protein–drug interaction by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

Label-Free Fluctuation Spectroscopy Based on Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering from Bulk Water Molecules

Nanoparticles (NPs) and molecules can be analyzed by inverse fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (iFCS) as they pass through an open detection volume, displacing fractions of the fluorescence-emitting solution in which they are dissolved. iFCS does not require the NPs or molecules to be labeled. However, fluorophores in μm-mm concentrations are needed for the solution signal. Here, we instead use coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) from plain water molecules as the signal from the solution. By this fully label-free approach, termed inverse CARS-based correlation spectroscopy (iCARS-CS), NPs that are a few tenths of nm in diameter and at pM concentrations can be analyzed, and their absolute volumes/concentrations can be determined. Likewise, lipid vesicles can be analyzed as they diffuse/flow through the detection volume by using CARS fluctuations from the surrounding water molecules. iCARS-CS could likely offer a broadly applicable, label-free characterization technique of, for example, NPs, small lipid exosomes, or microparticles in biomolecular diagnostics and screening, and can also utilize CARS signals from biologically relevant media other than water.

A fluorescence active gold nanorod–quantum dot core–satellite nanostructure for sub-attomolar tumor marker biosensing

The accurate monitoring of trace cancer biomarkers is crucial for the early diagnosis of cancer.

Energy-redistribution signatures in transmission microscopy of Rayleigh and Mie particles

We describe the transmission characteristics for the interaction of an arbitrary beam with (possibly multilayered) spherical particles of arbitrary size and electric permeability. Within the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory, expressions that generalize the total cross sections to their fractional counterparts are presented, which allow for an analytic quantification of transmission signals, both on-axis and off-axis. For Gaussian (Davis) beams, the relative angular domain of collection as compared to the beam's angle of divergence determines sensitively the shape and magnitude of the interference signal. Depending on the particle's position within the beam, the transmission signatures related to a pure energy redistribution as well as to accompanying absorption are discussed for Rayleigh particles in terms of their complex-valued polarizability. Implications for positioning, temperature control, spectroscopy, and optimized extinction measurements are discussed.

Removal of total organic carbon from sewage wastewater using poly(ethylenimine)-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles

The increased levels of organic carbon in sewage wastewater during recent years impose a great challenge to the existing wastewater treatment process (WWTP). Technological innovations are therefore sought that can reduce the release of organic carbon into lakes and seas. In the present study, magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized, functionalized with poly(ethylenimine) (PEI), and characterized using TEM (transmission electron microscopy), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), CCS (confocal correlation spectroscopy), SICS (scattering interference correlation spectroscopy), magnetism studies, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and other contaminants using PEI-coated magnetic nanoparticles (PEI-NPs) was tested in wastewater obtained from the Hammarby Sjöstadsverk sewage plant, Sweden. The synthesized NPs were about 12 nm in diameter and showed a homogeneous particle size distribution in dispersion by TEM and CCS analyses, respectively. The magnetization curve reveals superparamagnetic behavior, and the NPs do not reach saturation because of surface anisotropy effects. A 50% reduction in TOC was obtained in 60 min when using 20 mg/L PEI-NPs in 0.5 L of wastewater. Along with TOC, other contaminants such as turbidity (89%), color (86%), total nitrogen (24%), and microbial content (90%) were also removed without significant changes in the mineral ion composition of wastewater. We conclude that the application of PEI-NPs has the potential to reduce the processing time, complexity, sludge production, and use of additional chemicals in the WWTP.

Optical coherence correlation spectroscopy (OCCS)

We present a new method called optical coherence correlation spectroscopy (OCCS) using nanoparticles as reporters of kinetic processes at the single particle level. OCCS is a spectral interferometry based method, thus giving simultaneous access to several sampling volumes along the optical axis. Based on an auto-correlation analysis, we extract the diffusion coefficients and concentrations of nanoparticles over a large concentration range. The cross-correlation analysis between adjacent sampling volumes allows to measure flow parameters. This shows the potential of OCCS for spatially resolved diffusion and flow measurements.