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Hlaváček A, Farka Z, Mickert MJ, Kostiv U, Brandmeier JC, Horák D, Skládal P, Foret F, Gorris HH. Bioconjugates of photon-upconversion nanoparticles for cancer biomarker detection and imaging. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:1028-1072. [PMID: 35181766 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00670-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The detection of cancer biomarkers in histological samples and blood is of paramount importance for clinical diagnosis. Current methods are limited in terms of sensitivity, hindering early detection of disease. We have overcome the shortcomings of currently available staining and fluorescence labeling methods by taking an integrative approach to establish photon-upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) as a powerful platform for cancer detection. These nanoparticles are readily synthesized in different sizes to yield efficient and tunable short-wavelength light emission under near-infrared excitation, which eliminates optical background interference of the specimen. Here we present a protocol for the synthesis of UCNPs by high-temperature co-precipitation or seed-mediated growth by thermal decomposition, surface modification by silica or poly(ethylene glycol) that renders the particles resistant to nonspecific binding, and the conjugation of streptavidin or antibodies for biological detection. To detect blood-based biomarkers, we present an upconversion-linked immunosorbent assay for the analog and digital detection of the cancer marker prostate-specific antigen. When applied to immunocytochemistry analysis, UCNPs enable the detection of the breast cancer marker human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 with a signal-to-background ratio 50-fold higher than conventional fluorescent labels. UCNP synthesis takes 4.5 d, the preparation of the antibody-silica-UCNP conjugate takes 3 d, the streptavidin-poly(ethylene glycol)-UCNP conjugate takes 2-3 weeks, upconversion-linked immunosorbent assay takes 2-4 d and immunocytochemistry takes 8-10 h. The procedures can be performed after standard laboratory training in nanomaterials research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonín Hlaváček
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Zdeněk Farka
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic. .,CEITEC MU, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | | | - Uliana Kostiv
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Julian C Brandmeier
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Daniel Horák
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Skládal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC MU, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - František Foret
- Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hans H Gorris
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
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2
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Kurowska I, Amouroux B, Langlais M, Coutelier O, Coudret C, Destarac M, Marty JD. Versatile thiolactone-based conjugation strategies to polymer stabilizers for multifunctional upconverting nanoparticles aqueous dispersions. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:2238-2247. [PMID: 35080566 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr05548h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We describe here a new methodology for the synthesis of well-defined phosphonic acid-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and RAFT-derived poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL) by amine-thiol-ene and amine-thiol-thiosulfonate conjugation strategies using a phosphonated thiolactone and their use to prepare stable, water-dispersible multifunctional upconverting luminescent nanohybrids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Kurowska
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bialystok, Ciołkowskiego 1k, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Bialystok, Ciołkowskiego 1k, 15-245 Bialystok, Poland
| | - Baptiste Amouroux
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
| | - Marvin Langlais
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
| | - Olivier Coutelier
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
| | - Christophe Coudret
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
| | - Mathias Destarac
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
| | - Jean-Daniel Marty
- IMRCP, CNRS UMR 5623, University of Toulouse, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Cedex, 9 31062, France.
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3
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Mendez-Gonzalez D, Torres Vera V, Zabala Gutierrez I, Gerke C, Cascales C, Rubio-Retama J, G Calderón O, Melle S, Laurenti M. Upconverting Nanoparticles in Aqueous Media: Not a Dead-End Road. Avoiding Degradation by Using Hydrophobic Polymer Shells. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2105652. [PMID: 34897995 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202105652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The stunning optical properties of upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) have inspired promising biomedical technologies. Nevertheless, their transfer to aqueous media is often accompanied by intense luminescence quenching, partial dissolution by water, and even complete degradation by molecules such as phosphates. Currently, these are major issues hampering the translation of UCNPs to the clinic. In this work, a strategy is developed to coat and protect β-NaYF4 UCNPs against these effects, by growing a hydrophobic polymer shell (HPS) through miniemulsion polymerization of styrene (St), or St and methyl methacrylate mixtures. This allows one to obtain single core@shell UCNPs@HPS with a final diameter of ≈60-70 nm. Stability studies reveal that these HPSs serve as a very effective barrier, impeding polar molecules to affect UCNPs optical properties. Even more, it allows UCNPs to withstand aggressive conditions such as high dilutions (5 µg mL-1 ), high phosphate concentrations (100 mm), and high temperatures (70 °C). The physicochemical characterizations prove the potential of HPSs to overcome the current limitations of UCNPs. This strategy, which can be applied to other nanomaterials with similar limitations, paves the way toward more stable and reliable UCNPs with applications in life sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Mendez-Gonzalez
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Nanomaterials for Bioimaging Group (nanoBIG), Departamento de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, Madrid, 28049, Spain
- Nanobiology Group, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación, Sanitaria Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. De Colmenar Viejo, Km. 9100, Madrid, 28034, Spain
| | - Vivian Torres Vera
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Irene Zabala Gutierrez
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Christoph Gerke
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Nanobiology Group, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación, Sanitaria Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. De Colmenar Viejo, Km. 9100, Madrid, 28034, Spain
| | - Concepción Cascales
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, Madrid, 28049, Spain
| | - Jorge Rubio-Retama
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Nanobiology Group, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación, Sanitaria Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. De Colmenar Viejo, Km. 9100, Madrid, 28034, Spain
| | - Oscar G Calderón
- Department of Optics, Faculty of Optics and Optometry Complutense University of Madrid, Avda. Arcos de Jalón 118, Madrid, E-28037, Spain
| | - Sonia Melle
- Department of Optics, Faculty of Optics and Optometry Complutense University of Madrid, Avda. Arcos de Jalón 118, Madrid, E-28037, Spain
| | - Marco Laurenti
- Department of Chemistry in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramon y Cajal 2, Madrid, 28040, Spain
- Nanobiology Group, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación, Sanitaria Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Ctra. De Colmenar Viejo, Km. 9100, Madrid, 28034, Spain
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4
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Lisjak D, Vozlič M, Kostiv U, Horák D, Majaron B, Kralj S, Zajc I, Žiberna L, Ponikvar-Svet M. NaYF 4-based upconverting nanoparticles with optimized phosphonate coatings for chemical stability and viability of human endothelial cells. Methods Appl Fluoresc 2021; 10. [PMID: 34883469 DOI: 10.1088/2050-6120/ac41ba] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The increasing interest in upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) in biodiagnostics and therapy fuels the development of biocompatible UCNPs platforms. UCNPs are typically nanocrystallites of rare-earth fluorides codoped with Yb3+and Er3+or Tm3+. The most studied UCNPs are based on NaYF4but are not chemically stable in water. They dissolve significantly in the presence of phosphates. To prevent any adverse effects on the UCNPs induced by cellular phosphates, the surfaces of UCNPs must be made chemically inert and stable by suitable coatings. We studied the effect of various phosphonate coatings on chemical stability andin vitrocytotoxicity of the Yb3+,Er3+-codoped NaYF4UCNPs in human endothelial cells obtained from cellular line Ea.hy926. Cell viability of endothelial cells was determined using the resazurin-based assay after the short-term (15 min), and long-term (24 h and 48 h) incubations with UCNPs dispersed in cell-culture medium. The coatings were obtained from tertaphosphonic acid (EDTMP), sodium alendronate and poly(ethylene glycol)-neridronate. Regardless of the coating conditions, 1 - 2 nm-thick amorphous surface layers were observed on the UCNPs with transmission electron microscopy. The upconversion fluorescence was measured in the dispersions of all UCNPs. Surafce quenching in aqueous suspensions of the UCNPs was reduced by the coatings. The dissolution degree of the UCNPs was determined from the concentration of dissolved fluoride measured with ion-selective electrode after the ageing of UCNPs in water, physiological buffer (i.e., phosphate-buffered saline-PBS) and cell-culture medium. The phosphonate coatings prepared at 80 °C significantly suppressed the dissolution of UCNPs in PBS while only minor dissolution of bare and coated UCNPs was measured in water and cell-culture medium. The viability of human endothelial cells was significantly reduced when incubated with UCNPs, but it increased with the improved chemical stability of UCNPs by the phosphonate coatings with negligible cytotoxicity when coated with EDTMP at 80 °C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darja Lisjak
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department for Materials Synthesis, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maša Vozlič
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department for Materials Synthesis, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.,University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Pharmacy, Aškerčeva 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Uliana Kostiv
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Horák
- Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Heyrovského nám. 2, 162 06 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Boris Majaron
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Complex Matter, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.,University of Ljubljana, Faculty for Mathematics and Physics, Jadranska 13, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Slavko Kralj
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department for Materials Synthesis, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Zajc
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Toxicology, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lovro Žiberna
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Toxicology, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Ponikvar-Svet
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Inroganic Chemistry and Technology, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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