Surface-modified carboxylated nanometre-sized diamond (cND) has been applied for the conjugation of biological molecules such as DNA and protein. In this study, we evaluated the biocompatibility and detection of cNDs and carbon nanotubes on human lung A549 epithelial cells and HFL-1 normal fibroblasts. Treatment with 5 or 100 nm cND particles, 0.1-100 μg ml −1 , did not reduce the cell viability and alter the protein expression profile in lung cells; however, carbon nanotubes induced cytotoxicity in these cells. The cNDs particles were accumulated in A549 cells, which were observed by atomic force microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Both 5 and 100 nm cNDs particles exhibited the green fluorescence and were ingested into cells. Moreover, the fluorescence intensities were increased in cells via a concentration-dependent manner after treatment with 5 and 100 nm cNDs, which can be detected by flow cytometer analysis. The fluorescence intensities of 5 nm cNDs were relative higher than 100 nm cNDs in cells at equal concentration treatment. The observation demonstrated that cND-interacting with cell is detectable by a confocal microscope, flow cytometer and atomic force microscope. These nanoparticles may be useful for further biomedical applications based on the properties of uptake ability, detectability and little cytotoxicity in human cells.
A novel method is proposed using nanometer-sized diamond particles as detection probes for biolabeling. The advantages of nanodiamond's unique properties were demonstrated in its biocompatibility, nontoxicity, easily detected Raman signal, and intrinsic fluorescence from its natural defects without complicated pretreatments. Carboxylated nanodiamond's (cND's) penetration ability, noncytotoxicity, and visualization of cND-cell interactions are demonstrated on A549 human lung epithelial cells. Protein-targeted cell interaction visualization was demonstrated with cND-lysozyme complex interaction with bacteria Escherichia coli. It is shown that the developed biomolecule-cND complex preserves the original functions of the test protein. The easily detected natural fluorescent and Raman intrinsic signals, penetration ability, and low cytotoxicity of cNDs render them promising agents in multiple medical applications.
This letter presents direct observation of growth hormone receptor in one single cancer cell using nanodiamond-growth hormone complex as a specific probe. The interaction of surface growth hormone receptor of A549 human lung epithelial cells with growth hormone was observed using nanodiamond’s unique spectroscopic signal via confocal Raman mapping. The growth hormone molecules were covalent conjugated to 100nm diameter carboxylated nanodiamonds, which can be recognized specifically by the growth hormone receptors of A549 cell. The Raman spectroscopic signal of diamond provides direct and in vitro observation of growth hormone receptors in physiology condition in a single cell level.
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