Colorimetric determination of the early biomarker hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in circulating exosomes by using a gold seed-coated with aptamer-functionalized Au@Au core-shell peroxidase mimic

An ultra-sensitive method is described here for the determination of HIF-1α (an early biomarker for myocardial infarction) in circulating exosomes in serum. Gold nanospheres were functionalized with a HIF-1α-binding aptamer via sulfydryl chemistry. The apt-AuNP-coated gold seeds were grown by seed-mediated growth, and this significantly increased the peroxidase-mimicking property the nanoparticles. A chromogenic system composed of 3,3'5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine and hydrogen peroxide was used. Absorbance at 652 nm increases linearly in the 0.3 to 200 ng L^-1 HIF-1α concentration range, and the limit of detection is 0.2 ng L^-1. The method was tested by analyzing rat serum from isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction. It allows HIF-1α to be directly determined in a 25 μL sample without preconcentration. The assay is not interfered by the polydispersity of exosomes released under either health and disease conditions. Graphical abstractGold nanospheres were functionalized with a HIF-1α-binding aptamer via sulfydryl chemistry. Nanosized gold seed particles were then modified with the functionalized gold nanospheres, and this strongly increases the peroxidase-mimicking activity of the nanomaterial. By using the tetramethylbenzidine/H₂O₂ chromogenic system, the absorbance at 652 nm increases linearly in the 0.3 to 200 ng L^-1 HIF-1α concentration range.

Diaminoterephthalate-α-lipoic acid conjugates with fluorinated residues

Two bifunctional diaminoterephthalate (DAT) fluorescence dyes were prepared in a three-step sequence including one deprotection reaction. One functional unit is α-lipoic acid (ALA) for binding the dye to gold surfaces. It was introduced to the DAT scaffold by an amidation reaction. The other functional unit is a para-(trifluoromethyl)benzyl group for facile detection of the surface-bound material by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). This residue was introduced by reductive amination of the DAT scaffold with the respective benzaldehyde derivative. In one compound (60% yield over three steps) the ALA unit is directly bound to the DAT as a relatively electron-withdrawing amide. In solution (CH2Cl2), this material shows strong fluorescence (quantum yield 57% with emission at 495 nm, absorption maximum at 420 nm). The other compound (57% yield over three steps) possesses a propylene spacer between the ALA and the DAT units for electronic decoupling, thus, bathochromic shifts are observed (absorption at 514 nm, emission at 566 nm). The quantum yield is, however, lower (4%). Self-assembled monolayers on a gold surface of both compounds were prepared and characterized by high-resolution XPS of the C 1s, O 1s, S 2p, N 1s and F 1s emissions. The high signal-to-noise ratios of the F 1s peaks indicated that trifluoromethylation is an excellent tool for the detection of surface-bound materials by XPS.

Detecting stimulated Raman responses of molecules in plasmonic gap using photon induced forces

We demonstrate the stimulated Raman nanoscopy of a small number of molecules in a plasmonic gap, excited without resonant electronic enhancement, measured using near-field photon-induced forces, eliminating the need for far-field optical detection. We imaged 30 nm diameter gold nanoparticles functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT) molecules. The maximum number of molecules detected by the gold-coated nano-probe at the position of maximum field enhancement could be fewer than about 42 molecules. The molecules were imaged by vibrating an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) cantilever on its second flexural eigenmode enabling the tip to be controlled much closer to the sample, thereby improving the detected signal-to-noise ratio when compared to vibrating the cantilever on its first flexural eigenmode. We also demonstrate the implementation of stimulated Raman nanoscopy measured using photon-induced force with non-collinear pump and stimulating beams which could have applications in polarization dependent Raman nanoscopy and spectroscopy and pump-probe nano-spectroscopy particularly involving infrared beam/s. We also discuss using photon induced forces as a technique to sort and select best performing metal coated tips for further use in tip-enhanced experiments.

Concentration-dependent photophysical switching in mixed self-assembled monolayers of pentacene and perylenediimide on gold nanoclusters

The precise control and switching of photophysical processes such as singlet fission, electron transfer and excimer were performed using mixed SAMs of pentacene and perylenediimide units on Au nanoclusters.

Charge transfer-induced assembly of a gold nanocomposite mediated by N-methylfulleropyrrolidine: excitation energy transfer from Rhodamine B

A pH controlled functionalized fullerene-C₆₀-gold NP composite self-assembles via electrostatic as well as aurophilic interactions and acts as an excitation energy acceptor from fluorescent Rhodamine B (3.79 × 6.5 inch).

Use of XPS to Quantify Thickness of Coatings on Nanoparticles

XPS and other surface sensitive methods are being increasingly used to extract quantitative information about organic and inorganic coatings and contamination on nanoparticles. The extraction of coating thickness requires information about particle diameter from other measurements, such as electron microscopy, combined with a model that includes the physical processes associated with XPS. Advantages of using XPS include the sensitivity to very thin coatings (or surface contamination) and the ability to extract important information about organic layers. Single particle information from electron microsocpy combined with XPS sensitivity in determining composition make a powerful combination for nanoparticle anlaysis.

Inorganic materials as supports for covalent enzyme immobilization: methods and mechanisms

Several inorganic materials are potentially suitable for enzymatic covalent immobilization, by means of several different techniques. Such materials must meet stringent criteria to be suitable as solid matrices: complete insolubility in water, reasonable mechanical strength and chemical resistance under the operational conditions, the capability to form manageable particles with high surface area, reactivity towards derivatizing/functionalizing agents. Non-specific protein adsorption should be always considered when planning covalent immobilization on inorganic solids. A huge mass of experimental work has shown that silica, silicates, borosilicates and aluminosilicates, alumina, titania, and other oxides, are the materials of choice when attempting enzyme immobilizations on inorganic supports. More recently, some forms of elemental carbon, silicon, and certain metals have been also proposed for certain applications. With regard to the derivatization/functionalization techniques, the use of organosilanes through silanization is undoubtedly the most studied and the most applied, although inorganic bridge formation and acylation with selected acyl halides have been deeply studied. In the present article, the most common inorganic supports for covalent immobilization of the enzymes are reviewed, with particular focus on their advantages and disadvantages in terms of enzyme loadings, operational stability, undesired adsorption, and costs. Mechanisms and methods for covalent immobilization are also discussed, focusing on the most widespread activating approaches (such as glutaraldehyde, cyanogen bromide, divinylsulfone, carbodiimides, carbonyldiimidazole, sulfonyl chlorides, chlorocarbonates, N-hydroxysuccinimides).

Quantifying thiol ligand density of self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are often used as colloidal carriers in numerous applications owing to their low-cost and size-controlled preparation as well as their straightforward surface functionalization with thiol containing molecules forming self-assembling monolayers (SAM). The quantification of the ligand density of such modified GNPs is technically challenging, yet of utmost importance for quality control in many applications. In this contribution, a new method for the determination of the surface coverage of GNPs with thiol containing ligands is proposed. It makes use of the measurement of the gold-to-sulfur (Au/S) ratio by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and its dependence on the nanoparticle diameter. The simultaneous ICP-MS measurement of gold and sulfur was carefully validated and found to be a robust method with a relative standard uncertainty of lower than 10%. A major advantage of this method is the independence from sample preparation; for example, sample loss during the washing steps is not affecting the results. To demonstrate the utility of the straightforward method, GNPs of different diameters were synthesized and derivatized on the surface with bifunctional (lipophilic) ω-mercapto-alkanoic acids and (hydrophilic) mercapto-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)(n)-carboxylic acids, respectively, by self-assembling monolayer (SAM) formation. Thereby, a size-independent but ligand-chain length-dependent ligand density was found. The surface coverage increases from 4.3 to 6.3 molecules nm⁻² with a decrease of ligand chain length from 3.52 to 0.68 nm. Furthermore, no significant difference between the surface coverage of hydrophilic and lipophilic ligands with approximately the same ligand length was found, indicating that sterical hindrance is of more importance than, for example, intermolecular strand interactions of Van der Waals forces as claimed in other studies.