A plasmonic supramolecular nanohybrid as a contrast agent for site-selective computed tomography imaging of tumor

• Main Authors: Bindra, Anivind Kaur, Sreejith, Sivaramapanicker, Prasad, Rajendra, Gorain, Mahadeo, Thomas, Rijil, Jana, Deblin, Nai, Mui Hoon, Wang, Dongdong, Tharayil, Abhimanyu, Kundu, Gopal C., Srivastava, Rohit, Thomas, Sabu, Lim, Chwee Teck, Zhao, Yanli
• Other Authors: School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Science::Chemistry; Bioimaging; Mammary Carcinoma
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/162324
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Design of organic–inorganic hybrids by anchoring of plasmonic materials such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on self-assembled organic substrates is useful but challenging. Herein, in situ anchoring of plasmonic nanoparticles on the surface of a designed spherical assembly via Au-S bond formation is presented. First, a thiol tailed pyrene derivative (2) undergoes solvent dependent self-assembly, transforming into an organic spherical aggregate (2agg). The thiol (-SH) rich surface of the organic assembly allows cumulative anchoring of AuNPs on the surface to form an organic–inorganic hybrid (Au@2agg). Further coating of biocompatible polyethylene glycol (PEG) leads to the construction of the final multicomponent system (PEG-Au@2agg) exhibiting morphological and spectroscopic features. The potential of PEG-Au@2agg as a bioprobe and a contrast agent is investigated by X-ray computed tomography (CT) experiments in vivo. High X-ray attenuation of directly anchored AuNP clusters on the surface of this supramolecular nanohybrids enhances the X-ray CT contrast and allows tracing of site-selective accumulation in mouse 4T1 breast tumor. Thus, this approach of designing organic–inorganic nanohybrids paves the way for developing future intelligent multifunctional nanosystems capable of cancer detection and imaging.