Highly Luminescent–Paramagnetic Nanophosphor Probes for In Vitro High‐Contrast Imaging of Human Breast Cancer Cells |
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| Authors: | Bipin Kumar Gupta Tharangattu N Narayanan Sajna Antony Vithayathil Yean Lee Shyny Koshy Arava Leela Mohana Reddy Avishek Saha V Shanker V N Singh Benny Abraham Kaipparettu Angel A Martí Pulickel M Ajayan |
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| Affiliation: | 1. National Physical Laboratory (CSIR), Dr K S Krishnan Road, New Delhi 110012, India;2. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA;3. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;4. Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA;5. Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, TX 77005, USA;6. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA |
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| Abstract: | Highly luminescent–paramagnetic nanophosphors have a seminal role in biotechnology and biomedical research due to their potential applications in biolabeling, bioimaging, and drug delivery. Herein, the synthesis of high‐quality, ultrafine, europium‐doped yttrium oxide nanophosphors (Y1.9O3:Eu0.13+) using a modified sol–gel technique is reported and in vitro fluorescence imaging studies are demonstrated in human breast cancer cells. These highly luminescent nanophosphors with an average particle size of ≈6 nm provide high‐contrast optical imaging and decreased light scattering. In vitro cellular uptake is shown by fluorescence microscopy, which visualizes the characteristic intense hypersensitive red emission of Eu3+ peaking at 610 nm (5D0–7F2) upon 246 nm UV light excitation. No apparent cytotoxicity is observed. Subsequently, time‐resolved emission spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry measurements demonstrate a photoluminescence decay time in milliseconds and paramagnetic behavior, which assure applications of the nanophosphors in biomedical studies. |
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| Keywords: | biocompatible materials imaging magnetic properties phosphors photoluminescence |
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