Rapid synthesis of highly luminescent and stable Au20 nanoclusters for active tumor-targeted imaging in vitro and in vivoElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional figures and tables. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05269a

• Main Authors: Zhang, Pu, Yang, Xiao Xi, Wang, Yi, Zhao, Ning Wei, Xiong, Zu Hong, Huang, Cheng Zhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 30.01.2014
• ISSN: 2040-3364; 2040-3372
• DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05269a

Rapid synthesis of protein-stabilized Au 20 nanoclusters (Au 20 NCs) with high fluorescence quantum yield (QY) up to ∼15% is successfully achieved by manipulating the reaction kinetics. The as-obtained Au 20 NCs, identified by mass spectrometry, have an average size of 2.6 nm, with strong fluorescence emission at 620 nm (2.00 eV) upon excitation at either 370 nm (3.35 eV) or 470 nm (2.64 eV). The advantages of the as-obtained Au 20 NCs, including small sizes, high fluorescence QY, excellent photostability, non-toxicity, and good stability in biological media, make them ideal candidates as good luminescent probes for optical imaging in vitro and in vivo . Our results demonstrate that the uptake of Au 20 NCs by both cancer cells and tumor-bearing nude mice can be improved by receptor-mediated internalization, compared with that by passive targeting. Because of their selective accumulation at the tumor sites, the Au 20 NC probes can be used as potential indicators for cancer diagnosis. This work not only provides a new understanding of the rapid synthesis of highly luminescent Au 20 NCs but also demonstrates that the functionalized-Au 20 NCs are excellent probes for active tumor-targeted imaging in vitro and in vivo . Receptor-mediated uptake of nanoprobes for tumor-targeting in vitro and in vivo is systematically studied using newly prepared luminescent Au 20 nanoclusters.