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Nano Research 2010, 3(3): 222-233 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-010-1025-1
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 05 May 2010

Multiplexed Five-Color Molecular Imaging of Cancer Cells and Tumor Tissues with Carbon Nanotube Raman Tags in the Near-Infrared

Show Author's Information Zhuang Liu1,†,  Scott Tabakman2,†,  Sarah Sherlock2,  Xiaolin Li2,  Zhuo Chen2,  Kaili Jiang3,  Shoushan Fan3,  Hongjie Dai2( )
Functional Nano & Soft Materials Laboratory (FUNSOM)Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow UniversitySuzhou215123China
Department of ChemistryStanford UniversityStanford, CA94305USA
Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research CenterTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China

† These authors contributed equally to the work.

Keywords:
Carbon nanotubes, Raman scattering, biomedicine, multiplexed imaging
Cite this article:
Liu Z, Tabakman S, Sherlock S, et al. Multiplexed Five-Color Molecular Imaging of Cancer Cells and Tumor Tissues with Carbon Nanotube Raman Tags in the Near-Infrared. Nano Research, 2010, 3(3): 222-233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-010-1025-1
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with five different C13/C12 isotope compositions and well-separated Raman peaks have been synthesized and conjugated to five targeting ligands in order to impart molecular specificity. Multiplexed Raman imaging of live cells has been carried out by highly specific staining of cells with a five-color mixture of SWNTs. Ex vivo multiplexed Raman imaging of tumor samples uncovers a surprising up-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on LS174T colon cancer cells from cell culture to in vivo tumor growth. This is the first time five-color multiplexed molecular imaging has been performed in the near-infrared (NIR) region under a single laser excitation. Near zero interfering background of imaging is achieved due to the sharp Raman peaks unique to nanotubes over the low, smooth autofluorescence background of biological species.


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About this article

Multiplexed Five-Color Molecular Imaging of Cancer Cells and Tumor Tissues with Carbon Nanotube Raman Tags in the Near-Infrared

Show Author's information Zhuang Liu1,†, Scott Tabakman2,†, Sarah Sherlock2, Xiaolin Li2, Zhuo Chen2, Kaili Jiang3, Shoushan Fan3, Hongjie Dai2( )
Functional Nano & Soft Materials Laboratory (FUNSOM)Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow UniversitySuzhou215123China
Department of ChemistryStanford UniversityStanford, CA94305USA
Department of Physics and Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research CenterTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China

† These authors contributed equally to the work.

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with five different C13/C12 isotope compositions and well-separated Raman peaks have been synthesized and conjugated to five targeting ligands in order to impart molecular specificity. Multiplexed Raman imaging of live cells has been carried out by highly specific staining of cells with a five-color mixture of SWNTs. Ex vivo multiplexed Raman imaging of tumor samples uncovers a surprising up-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on LS174T colon cancer cells from cell culture to in vivo tumor growth. This is the first time five-color multiplexed molecular imaging has been performed in the near-infrared (NIR) region under a single laser excitation. Near zero interfering background of imaging is achieved due to the sharp Raman peaks unique to nanotubes over the low, smooth autofluorescence background of biological species.

Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, Raman scattering, biomedicine, multiplexed imaging

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Publication history

Received: 30 November 2009
Revised: 20 January 2010
Accepted: 26 January 2010
Published: 05 May 2010
Issue date: March 2010

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© The Author(s) 2010

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported partially by CCNE-TR at Stanford University, NIH-NCI R01 CA135109-02, and Ensysce Biosciences Inc.

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This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

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