Luminescent gold nanoclusters for the detection of anti-tumor drugs

Abstract

Gold nanoclucters (GNCs) have drawn attention in recent years for their high photoluminescence, chemical stability, good biocompatibility, cost-effective, and low toxicity. The unique properties of luminescent GNCs make them became a very promising alternative to replace traditional fluorescent materials.
In this work, we report a simple synthesis of luminescent GNCs stabilized by bovine serum albumin. The obtained structures exhibit maximum luminescence in the 660 nm region with a quantum yield of 24±2%. We have investigated the composition and structure of GNCs using IR spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, X-ray diffraction analysis, circular dichroism spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
We demonstrate the feasibility of using GNCs for the detection of anti-tumor drugs (exemplified by doxorubicin) in biological fluids. The anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin is able to bind to protein-stabilized GNCs, causing luminescence quenching. We determined the Stern-Folmer constants, bimolecular quenching constants, binding constants and detection limits of the antitumor drug to determine the efficiency of luminescence quenching. The use of GNCs as a nanosensor could be a useful tool for medical applications to adjust the chemotherapy protocol.
This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant 23-73-02271)


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Yuliya Podkolodnaya
Saratov State University
Russia

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