Silver Nanoplate Contrast Agents for in Vivo Molecular Photoacoustic Imaging

• Published in: ACS nano Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 641 - 650
• Main Authors: Homan, Kimberly A, Souza, Michael, Truby, Ryan, Luke, Geoffrey P, Green, Christopher, Vreeland, Erika, Emelianov, Stanislav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 24.01.2012
• Subjects: Animals; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Cell Line, Tumor; Contrast agents; Contrast Media - chemical synthesis; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; Image Enhancement - methods; Imaging; In vivo testing; In vivo tests; Male; Mice; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanostructure; Pancreatic Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Silver; Silver - chemistry; Surgical implants; nanoplates; pancreatic cancer; silver; optoacoustic imaging; photoacoustic imaging; contrast agents
• ISSN: 1936-0851; 1936-086X
• DOI: 10.1021/nn204100n

Silver nanoplates are introduced as a new photoacoustic contrast agent that can be easily functionalized for molecular photoacoustic imaging in vivo. Methods are described for synthesis, functionalization, and stabilization of silver nanoplates using biocompatible (“green”) reagents. Directional antibody conjugation to the nanoplate surface is presented along with proof of molecular sensitivity in vitro with pancreatic cancer cells. Cell viability tests show the antibody-conjugated silver nanoplates to be nontoxic at concentrations up to 1 mg/mL. Furthermore, the silver nanoplates’ potential for in vivo application as a molecularly sensitive photoacoustic contrast agent is demonstrated using an orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Results of these studies suggest that the synthesized silver nanoplates are well suited for a host of biomedical imaging and sensing applications.