A straightforward route to the synthesis of a surface-enhanced Raman scattering probe for targeting transferrin receptor-overexpressed cells

• Published in: Nanotechnology Vol. 21; no. 34; p. 345101
• Main Authors: Yang, Jing, Wang, Zhuyuan, Tan, Xuebin, Li, Jin, Song, Chunyuan, Zhang, Ruohu, Cui, Yiping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IOP Publishing 27.08.2010
• Subjects: Cell Survival; Conjugation; Endocytosis; HeLa Cells; Humans; Joining; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Molecular Probes - chemical synthesis; Nanotechnology; Raman scattering; Receptors, Transferrin - genetics; Receptors, Transferrin - metabolism; Silver - metabolism; Spectrum Analysis, Raman - methods; Substrate Specificity; Surface Properties; Synthesis; Transferrin; Transferrin - metabolism; Tumors; Uptakes
• ISSN: 0957-4484; 1361-6528
• DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/21/34/345101

A tumor cell targeting surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probe has been successfully synthesized by using p-mercaptobenzoic acid (pMBA) as both the SERS reporter and the conjugation agent for attaching transferrin molecules, which shows experimentally the targeting ability for transferrin receptor-overexpressed HeLa cells and exhibits strong SERS signals when being incubated inside cells. To prove that the uptake of such a SERS probe is through a Tf-receptor-mediated endocytosis process, two control experiments: (1) HeLa cells being incubated with the probe at 4 degrees C and (2) HeLa cells being pre-blocked with free transferrin at 37 degrees C, were employed. The difference of SERS intensity between the transferrin-overexpressed HeLa cells and transferrin-pre-blocked HeLa cells indicates that the probe has the potential to selectively target tumor cells.