Premium
RGD‐Peptide‐Modified NaLuF 4 :Yb,Er Nanocrystals for Upconversion‐Luminescence‐Targeted Tumor‐Cell Imaging
Author(s) -
Yang Tianshe,
Wang Yemao,
Gao Hui,
Liu Qian,
Zhang Kenneth Yin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201700638
Subject(s) - biocompatibility , chemistry , tripeptide , photon upconversion , luminescence , cytotoxicity , nanotechnology , biophysics , peptide , materials science , biochemistry , in vitro , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , ion , biology
Upconversion NaLuF 4 nanophosphors (UCNPs), with excellent upconversion luminescence (UCL) and good biocompatibility, have been synthesized by the solvothermal method. The surfaces of the NaLuF 4 UCNPs have been modified with the tripeptide arginylglycylaspartic acid (RGD) for targeting tumor cells, based on their high and specific affinity to the transmembrane receptor α v β 3 integrin. The morphology, size, and UCL properties of the UCNPs have been investigated in detail. The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay suggests low cytotoxicity of the UCNPs to tumor cells and normal cells, indicative of their suitability for bioapplications. The RGD‐modified NaLuF 4 nanocrystals have been used for UCL‐targeted cell imaging in U87MG tumor cells. The results demonstrate that RGD modification yields NaLuF 4 UCNPs suitable for UCL‐targeted cell imaging under excitation at 980 nm, owing to the high and specific affinity between RGD and α v β 3 integrin.