Enhancing Intracellular Optical Performance and Stability of Engineered Nanomaterials via Aqueous Two-Phase Purification
Document Type
Article
Date of Original Version
7-26-2023
Abstract
Supramolecular hybrids of DNA and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been introduced in numerous biosensing applications due to their unique optical properties. Recent aqueous two-phase (ATP) purification methods for SWCNTs have gained popularity by introducing specificity and homogeneity into the sensor design process. Using murine macrophages probed by near-infrared and Raman microscopies, we show that ATP purification increases the retention time of DNA-SWCNTs within cells while simultaneously enhancing the optical performance and stability of the engineered nanomaterial. Over a period of 6 h, we observe 45% brighter fluorescence intensity and no significant change in emission wavelength of ATP-purified DNA-SWCNTs relative to as-dispersed SWCNTs. These findings provide strong evidence of how cells differentially process engineered nanomaterials depending on their state of purification, lending to the future development of more robust and sensitive biosensors with desirable in vivo optical parameters using surfactant-based ATP systems with a subsequent exchange to biocompatible functionalization.
Publication Title, e.g., Journal
Nano Letters
Volume
23
Issue
14
Citation/Publisher Attribution
Nadeem, Aceer, Aidan Kindopp, Ian Wyllie, Lauren Hubert, James Joubert, Sophie Lucente, Ewelina Randall, Prakrit V. Jena, and Daniel Roxbury. "Enhancing Intracellular Optical Performance and Stability of Engineered Nanomaterials via Aqueous Two-Phase Purification." Nano Letters 23, 14 (2023). doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01727.