Cancer-targeted optical imaging with fluorescent zinc oxide nanowires

Nano Lett. 2011 Sep 14;11(9):3744-50. doi: 10.1021/nl201782m. Epub 2011 Aug 10.

Abstract

Herein we demonstrate that intrinsically fluorescent zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires (NWs) can be adopted for molecularly targeted imaging of cancer cells, after they are functionalized to render water solubility, biocompatibility, and low cellular toxicity. Optical imaging of integrin α(v)β(3) on U87MG human glioblastoma cells was achieved with RGD peptide-conjugated green fluorescent ZnO NWs, which opened up new avenues of research for investigating ZnO NW-based agents in tumor vasculature-targeted molecular imaging and drug delivery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biocompatible Materials / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Integrin alphaVbeta3 / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / methods
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Models, Chemical
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Solubility
  • Zinc Oxide / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Integrin alphaVbeta3
  • Oligopeptides
  • arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid
  • Zinc Oxide