Multimodal and multifunctional nanomaterials are promising candidates for bioimaging and therapeutic applications in the nanomedicine settings. Here we report the preparation of photouncaging nanoparticles with fluorescence and magnetic modalities and evaluation of their potentials for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. Photoactivation of such bimodal nanoparticles prepared using photouncaging ligands, CdSe/ZnS quantum dots, and super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles results in the systematic uncaging of the particles, which is correlated with continuous changes in the absorption, mass and NMR spectra of the ligands. Fluorescence and magnetic components of the bimodal nanoparticles are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and elemental analyses using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Bioconjugation of the nanoparticles with peptide hormones renders them with biocompatibility and efficient intracellular transport as seen in the fluorescence and MRI images of mouse melanoma cells (B16) or human lung epithelial adenocarcinoma cells (H1650). Biocompatibility of the nanoparticles is evaluated using MTT cytotoxicity assays, which show cell viability over 90%. Further, we combine MRI and NIR fluorescence imaging in C57BL/6 (B6) mice subcutaneously or intravenously injected with the photouncaging nanoparticles and follow the in vivo fate of the nanoparticles. Interestingly, the intravenously injected nanoparticles initially accumulate in the liver within 30 min post injection and subsequently clear by the renal excretion within 48 h as seen in the time-dependent MRI and fluorescence images of the liver, urinary bladder, and urine samples. Photouncaging ligands such as the ones reported in this article are promising candidates for not only the site-specific delivery of nanomaterials-based contrast agents and drugs but also the systematic uncaging and renal clearance of nanomaterials after the desired in vivo application.

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In this Letter, we describe an accurate antibody detection method using a fabricated extended-gate type organic field-effect-transistor (OFET), which can be operated at below 3 V. The protein-sensing portion of the designed device is the gate electrode functionalized with streptavidin. Streptavidin possesses high molecular recognition ability for biotin, which specifically allows for the detection of biotinylated proteins. Here, we attempted to detect biotinylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) and observed a shift of threshold voltage of the OFET upon the addition of the antibody in an aqueous solution with a competing bovine serum albumin interferent. The detection limit for the biotinylated IgG was 8 nM, which indicates the potential utility of the designed device in healthcare applications.

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First selective nitrate biosensor device based on an extended-gate type organic field-effect transistor (OFET) is reported. The fabricated sensor device consists of the extended-gate electrode functionalized by a nitrate reductase with a mediator (=a bipyridinium derivative) and an OFET-based transducer. The mechanism of the nitrate detection can be explained by an electron-relay on the extended-gate electrode, resulting in changes of the electric properties of the OFET. The detection limit of nitrate in water is estimated to be 45 ppb, which suggests that the sensitivity of our fabricated sensor is comparable to those of some conventional detection methods. As a practical application of the OFET sensor, the nitrate detection in diluted human saliva has been successfully demonstrated; the results agreed well with those by conventional colorimetric measurement. The advantages of OFETs are printability, mechanical flexibility, stretchability and disposability, meaning that the fabricated OFET could open up a new approach for low-cost electronic devices toward on-site detection of nitrate in aqueous media.