Highly Luminescent Heterostructured Copper-Doped Zinc Sulfide Nanocrystals for Application in Cancer Cell Labeling.

The structural characteristics of the seed-mediated synthesis of heterostructured CuS-ZnS nanocrystals (NCs) and Cu-doped ZnS (ZnS:Cu) NCs synthesized by two different protocols are compared and analyzed. At high Cu dopant concentrations, segregated subclusters of ZnS and CuS are observed. The photoluminescence quantum yield of ZnS:Cu NCs is about 50-80 %; a value much higher than that of ZnS NCs (6 %). Finally, these NCs are coated with a thin silica shell by using (3-mercaptopropyl)triethoxysilane in a reverse microemulsion to make them water soluble. Cytotoxicity experiments show that these silica-coated NCs have greatly reduced toxicity on both cancerous HeLa and noncancerous Chinese hamster ovary cells. The labeling of cancerous HeLa cells is also demonstrated.

Fluorescence Retrieval of CdSe Quantum Dots by Self-Assembly of Supramolecular Aggregates of Reverse Micelles.

Life is restored to inactive (dead) quantum dots by means of the encapsulation into supramolecular aggregates of spherical nonionic Igepal micelles.

Synthesis of small-sized, porous, and low-toxic magnetite nanoparticles by thin POSS silica coating.

In this communication, we report the synthesis of small-sized (<10 nm), water-soluble, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS), which contain either polyethylene glycol (PEG) or octa(tetramethylammonium) (OctaTMA) as functional groups. The POSS-coated MNPs exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with saturation magnetic moments (51-53 emu g(-1)) comparable to silica-coated MNPs. They also provide good colloidal stability at different pH and salt concentrations, and low cytotoxicity to MCF-7 human breast epithelial cells. The relaxivity data and magnetic resonance (MR) phantom images demonstrate the potential application of these MNPs in bioimaging.

Multifunctional iron oxide nanoparticles for diagnostics, therapy and macromolecule delivery.

In recent years, multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) consisting of either metal (e.g. Au), or magnetic NP (e.g. iron oxide) with other fluorescent components such as quantum dots (QDs) or organic dyes have been emerging as versatile candidate systems for cancer diagnosis, therapy, and macromolecule delivery such as micro ribonucleic acid (microRNA). This review intends to highlight the recent advances in the synthesis and application of multifunctional NPs (mainly iron oxide) in theranostics, an area used to combine therapeutics and diagnostics. The recent applications of NPs in miRNA delivery are also reviewed.

Mimicking cellular transport mechanism in stem cells through endosomal escape of new peptide-coated quantum dots.

Protein transport is an important phenomenon in biological systems. Proteins are transported via several mechanisms to reach their destined compartment of cell for its complete function. One such mechanism is the microtubule mediated protein transport. Up to now, there are no reports on synthetic systems mimicking the biological protein transport mechanism. Here we report a highly efficient method of mimicking the microtubule mediated protein transport using newly designed biotinylated peptides encompassing a microtubule-associated sequence (MTAS) and a nuclear localization signaling (NLS) sequence, and their final conjugation with streptavidin-coated CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs). Our results demonstrate that these novel bio-conjugated QDs enhance the endosomal escape and promote targeted delivery into the nucleus of human mesenchymal stem cells via microtubules. Mimicking the cellular transport mechanism in stem cells is highly desirable for diagnostics, targeting and therapeutic applications, opening up new avenues in the area of drug delivery.

Design and synthesis of polymer-functionalized NIR fluorescent dyes--magnetic nanoparticles for bioimaging.

The fluorescent probes having complete spectral separation between absorption and emission spectra (large Stokes shift) are highly useful for solar concentrators and bioimaging. In bioimaging application, NIR fluorescent dyes have a greater advantage in tissue penetration depth compared to visible-emitting organic dyes or inorganic quantum dots. Here we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of an amphiphilic polymer, poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhyride)-functionalized near-infrared (NIR) IR-820 dye and its conjugates with iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) for optical and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Our results demonstrate that the Stokes shift of unmodified dye can be tuned (from ~106 to 208 nm) by the functionalization of the dye with polymer and MNPs. The fabrication of bimodal probes involves (i) the synthesis of NIR fluorescent dye (IR-820 cyanine) functionalized with ethylenediamine linker in high yield, >90%, (ii) polymer conjugation to the functionalized NIR fluorescent dye, and (iii) grafting the polymer-conjugated dyes on iron oxide MNPs. The resulting uniform, small-sized (ca. 6 nm) NIR fluorescent dye-magnetic hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit a wider emissive range (800-1000 nm) and minimal cytotoxicity. Our preliminary studies demonstrate the potential utility of these NPs in bioimaging by means of direct labeling of cancerous HeLa cells via NIR fluorescence microscopy and good negative contrast enhancement in T2-weighted MR imaging of a murine model.

Unexpected coordination difference in geometric-isomerism between N,S- and N,N-heterocyclic carbenes in cyclometallated platinum(ii).

The reaction of [Pt(II)(2-phenylpyridine)(acac)] and benzothiazolium bromide yields the N,S-heterocyclic carbene ligand trans to pyridyl while, surprisingly, a very similar N,N-heterocyclic carbene coordinates predominantly trans to the cyclometallated carbon.

Pd(II) complexes with mixed benzothiazolin-2-ylidene and phosphine ligands and their catalytic activities toward C-C coupling reactions.

Novel Pd(II) mixed N,S-heterocyclic carbene (NSHC)-phosphine complexes of the general formula [PdBr(2)(NSHC)(PR(3))] were obtained from bridge cleavage of dinuclear NSHC complexes of type [PdBr(2)(NSHC)](2) [NSHC = 3-benzylbenzothiazolin-2-ylidene and 3-propylbenzothiazolin-2-ylidene] with triphenylphosphine, tricyclohexylphosphine and 2-diphenylphosphanyl-pyridine. All complexes have been fully characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The X-ray crystal structures of complexes 3-8 are reported. The complexes exhibit moderate to good catalytic activity in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of aryl bromides and chlorides.

Mono- and dinuclear palladium(II) N,S-heterocyclic carbene complexes with N spacers and their Suzuki coupling activities.

Mixed-ligand N,S-heterocyclic carbene (NSHC) complexes, trans-[PdBr(2)(NSHC)(Py)] (NSHC=3-benzyl- or 3-propyl-benzothiazolin-2-ylidene), have been obtained from bridge-cleavage reactions of the dinuclear complex, [Pd(mu-Br)Br(NSHC)](2), in pyridine at room temperature. Use of neutral N-bidentate donors (L=pyrazine, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane, 4,4'-bipyridine and trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene) yields the dinuclear spacer-bridged [Pd(2)Br(4)(NSHC)(2)(mu-L)] complexes. The X-ray single-crystal structures of the pyridyl, bridging pyrazine and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane complexes are reported. These air-stable complexes are active in the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions of selected aryl bromides. The dinuclear complexes are generally more active than their mononuclear pyridyl analogues. The benzyl derivatives consistently outperform the n-propyl counterparts.

Pd(II) complexes of N,S-heterocyclic carbenes with pendant and coordinated allyl function and their Suzuki coupling activities.

3-(2-Propenyl)benzothiazolium bromide (A) provides a direct and simple entry to Pd(II) complexes with N,S-heterocyclic carbene (NSHC) ligands functionalized with an allyl pendant with hemilabile potential. Addition of salt A to Pd(OAc)2 eliminates HOAc and affords the bis(carbene) complexes cis-[PdBr2(NHSC)2] (cis-1, NSHC = 3-(2-propenyl)benzothiazolin-2-ylidene) and trans-[PdBr2(NHSC)2] (trans-1) along with the monocarbene complexes [PdBr2(NSHC)] (2) and trans-[PdBr2(benzothiazole-kappaN)(NSHC)] (3) as minor side products. Salt-metathesis of cis-1 with AgO2CCF3 yields the mixed dicarboxylato-bis(carbene) complex cis-[Pd(O2CCF3)2(NSHC)2] (4). Complexes cis-1, trans-1 and 4 were characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopies, ESI mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The molecular structures of complexes cis-1, 2 and 3 have been determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. Complexes cis-1 and 4 as well as an in situ mixture of Pd(OAc)2 and salt A are active toward Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl bromides and activated aryl chlorides giving good conversions.