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Unveiling NIR Aza‐Boron‐Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Dyes as Raman Probes: Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS)‐Guided Selective Detection and Imaging of Human Cancer Cells
Author(s) -
Adarsh Nagappanpillai,
Ramya Adukkadan N.,
Maiti Kaustabh Kumar,
Ramaiah Danaboyina
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201702626
Subject(s) - nanoprobe , raman spectroscopy , ht1080 , raman scattering , materials science , molecular imaging , nanotechnology , chemistry , nanoparticle , in vivo , biochemistry , optics , biology , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro
The development of new Raman reporters has attracted immense attention in diagnostic research based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques, which is a well established method for ultrasensitive detection through molecular fingerprinting and imaging. Herein, for the first time, we report the unique and efficient Raman active features of the selected aza‐BODIPY dyes 1 – 6 . These distinctive attributes could be extended at the molecular level to allow detection through SERS upon adsorption onto nano‐roughened gold surface. Among the newly revealed Raman reporters, the amino substituted derivative 4 showed high signal intensity at very low concentrations (ca. 0.4 μ m for 4 ‐Au). Interestingly, an efficient nanoprobe has been constructed by using gold nanoparticles as SERS substrate, and 4 as the Raman reporter ( 4 ‐Au@PEG), which unexpectedly showed efficient recognition of three human cancer cells (lung: A549, cervical: HeLa, Fibrosarcoma: HT‐1080) without any specific surface marker. We observed well reflected and resolved Raman mapping and characteristic signature peaks whereas, such recognition was not observed in normal fibroblast (3T3L1) cells. To confirm these findings, a SERS nanoprobe was conjugated with a specific tumour targeting marker, EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor), a well known targeted agent for Human Fibrosarcoma (HT1080). This nanoprobe efficiently targeted the surface marker of HT1080 cells, threreby demonstrating its use as an ultrasensitive Raman probe for detection and targeted imaging, leaving normal cells unaffected.