Plasmon resonance coupling of metal nanoparticles for molecular imaging of carcinogenesis in vivo

Jesse Aaron, Nitin Nitin, Kort Travis, Sonia Kumar, Tom Collier, Sun Young Park, Miguel José-Yacamán, Lezlee Coghlan, Michele Follen, Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Konstantin Sokolov

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

165 Scopus citations

Abstract

An effective cancer control strategy requires improved early detection methods, patient-specific drug selection, and the ability to assess response to targeted therapeutics. Recently, plasmon resonance coupling between closely spaced metal nanoparticles has been used to develop ultrasensitive bioanalytical assays in vitro. We demonstrate the first in vivo application of plasmon coupling for molecular imaging of carcinogenesis. We describe molecular-specific gold bioconjugates to image epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR); these conjugates can be delivered topically and imaged noninvasively in real time. We show that labeling with gold bioconjugates gives information on the overexpression and nanoscale spatial relationship of EGF receptors in cell membranes, both of which are altered in neoplasia. EGFR-mediated aggregation of gold nanoparticles in neoplastic cells results in more than a 100-nm color shift and a contrast ratio of more than tenfold in images of normal and precancerous epithelium in vivo, dramatically increasing contrast beyond values reported previously for antibody-targeted fluorescent dyes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number034007
JournalJournal of Biomedical Optics
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Early detection
  • Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
  • Metal nanoparticles
  • Optical imaging
  • Plasmon coupling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Biomaterials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Biomedical Engineering

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