Gold and silver quantification from gold-silver nanoshells in HaCaT cells.

A method to determine total gold (Au) and/or silver (Ag) elemental concentrations from gold nanoparticles, Au-Ag nanoshells (NS) and silica coated Au-Ag nanoshells was developed, evaluated and validated. Samples were mineralized in a mixture of concentrated aqua regia and hydrofluoric acid at 65 °C for 4 h. Mineralized solutions were diluted and standard solutions were prepared in aqua regia 5%. ICP-MS analysis was performed with or without the use of a reaction cell (CRC). For the determination of elemental concentrations of nanopowders and test suspensions, the average recovery was 99 ±â€¯2% and 101 ±â€¯2% for gold and silver respectively. The repeatability was evaluated by the Relative Standard Deviation (RSD). The overall analytical RSD was ≤4% (n = 3) and the RSD associated to ICP-MS analysis was ≤2% (n = 10). The limits of detection were 0.005 and 0.002 µg(element) L-1 (analyzed solution), and the limits of quantitation 0.017 and 0.005 µg(element) L-1 (analyzed solution), for 197Au and 109Ag respectively. The Ag/Au mass ratios of the NS in the different samples considered were all equal to (0.93 ±â€¯0.04). From this information, the average thickness of gold and silver layers in the nanoshells was deduced, being 7.5 ±â€¯0.5 and 23 ±â€¯3 nm respectively. Finally, the developed method was successfully applied to in vitro studies to evaluate NS cellular uptake in HaCaT keratinocyte cells confirming the method robustness toward biological medium. Experiments in cell culture medium gave coherent concentrations, 70-100% of uncoated or silica-coated NS being recovered, distributed between the culture medium and the cells (internalized). The analytical repeatability (over the whole procedure, or that of the ICP-MS analysis only) remains in the same order of magnitude as in test suspensions. Minimum concentrations less than or equal to 1 µg(element) g-1(suspension) were determined with the same accuracy.

Assessment of in vivo systemic toxicity and biodistribution of iron-doped silica nanoshells.

Silica nanoparticles are an emerging class of biomaterials which may be used as diagnostic and therapeutic tools for biomedical applications. In particular, hollow silica nanoshells are attractive due to their hollow core. Approximately 70% of a 500 nm nanoshell is hollow, therefore more particles can be administered on a mg/kg basis compared to solid nanoparticles. Additionally, their nanoporous shell permits influx/efflux of gases and small molecules. Since the size, shape, and composition of a nanoparticle can dramatically alter its toxicity and biodistribution, the toxicology of these nanomaterials was assessed. A single dose toxicity study was performed in vivo to assess the toxicity of 500 nm iron-doped silica nanoshells at clinically relevant doses of 10-20 mg/kg. This study showed that only a trace amount of silica was detected in the body 10 weeks post-administration. The hematology, biochemistry and pathological results show that the nanoshells exhibit no acute or chronic toxicity in mice.

Combined Near Infrared Photothermal Therapy and Chemotherapy Using Gold Nanoshells Coated Liposomes to Enhance Antitumor Effect.

Novel antitumor system based on the targeting photothermal and pH-responsive nanocarriers, gold nanoshells coated oleanolic acid liposomes mediating by chitosan (GNOLs), is designed and synthesized for the first time. The GNOLs present spherical and uniform size (172.03 nm) with zeta potential (20.7 ± 0.4 mV), which are more easily accumulated in tumor. Meanwhile, the GNOLs exhibit a slow and controlled release of oleanolic acid at pH 7.4, as well as a rapid release at pH 5.5, which is beneficial for tumor-targeting drug release. Under near infrared (NIR) irradiation, hyperthermia can be generated by activated gold nanoshells to perform photothermal therapy effect, which triggers drug release from the carriers by activating the gel to liquid crystalline phase transition of the liposomes. Moreover, the NIR assisting drug release can be easily and selectively activated locally due to the spatially and real-timely controllable property of light. The experimental results also verify that the GNOLs with NIR irradiation achieve more ideal antitumor effects than other oleanolic acid formulations in vitro and in vivo. Hence, the drug delivery system exhibits a great potential in chemo-photothermal antitumor therapy.

Visual and colorimetric detection of p-aminophenol in environmental water and human urine samples based on anisotropic growth of Ag nanoshells on Au nanorods.

A simple, sensitive, selective and high-resolution colorimetric method has been developed for the detection of p-aminophenol in environmental water and human urine samples. In the presence of p-aminophenol, silver ions are reduced to silver atoms and subsequently Ag nanoshells anisotropically grow on the surface of Au nanorods to generate orange slice-like Au@Ag core-shell nanocrystals, thereby resulting in the blue-shift of longitudinal surface plasmon resonance band of Au nanorods accompanying a sharp-contrast multicolor change. Using Au@Ag core-shell nanocrystals as the transducer, sub-micromolar p-aminophenol can be detected by the colorimetric method and 10 µmol L(-1) p-aminophenol can be visual readout by the naked eyes. Furthermore, a simple, cheap, portable test kit is constructed for the visual assay of urinary p-aminophenol without complicated sample pretreatment and sophisticated instruments. The proposed colorimetric method has the potential for the rapid and on-site analyses of p-aminophenol in environmental water and human urine samples.

Walnut-like In2S3 microspheres: ionic liquid-assisted solvothermal synthesis, characterization and formation mechanism.

Walnut-like In(2)S(3) microspheres were synthesized through an ionic liquid-assisted solvothermal method for the first time. The crystal structure and morphology of the as-synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement. It was found that the additional amount of ionic liquid, solvothermal temperature and time played crucial roles in controlling the structure and morphology of the In(2)S(3) microspheres. A possible formation mechanism of the walnut-like In(2)S(3) microsphere was proposed on the basis of the experimental results.