Highly bright and photostable cyanine dye-doped silica nanoparticles for optical imaging: Photophysical characterization and cell tests

• Published in: Dyes and pigments Vol. 84; no. 1; pp. 121 - 127
• Main Authors: Miletto, Ivana, Gilardino, Alessandra, Zamburlin, Pollyanna, Dalmazzo, Simona, Lovisolo, Davide, Caputo, Giuseppe, Viscardi, Guido, Martra, Gianmario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 2010
• Subjects: Cyanine dye; Fluorescent hybrid silica nanoparticles; Internalization; Neuronal survival; Optical imaging; Fluorescent hybrid silica nanoparticles; Neuronal survival; Optical imaging; Internalization; Cyanine dye
• ISSN: 0143-7208; 1873-3743
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dyepig.2009.07.004

Spherical silica nanoparticles containing fluorescent trimethine indocyanine dyes ( λ abs = 547 nm, λ em = 570 nm) were prepared using a water-in-oil microemulsion method. The nanoparticles were of ∼50 nm diameter and were almost monodispersed in aqueous solution at pH 5.5. Entrapment of dye molecules in the silica matrix stabilised photoemission over several hours of continuous irradiation. The photoemission intensity of the indocyanine was increased 13-fold over that recorded in solution. As each nanoparticle contained ∼110 dye molecules, the photoemission brightness of each particle was enhanced by three orders of magnitude. The fluorescent nanoparticles have been tested as imaging tools in in vitro tests. As an example of non-macrophagic cells, a highly differentiated neuronal cell line (GT1-7) was used and the results showed that the prepared nanoparticles can be incorporated into these cells with no apparent toxicity for up to three days.