Near-Infrared Fluorescent NanoGUMBOS for Biomedical Imaging

Abstract

Herein, we report on near infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanoparticles generated from an emergent class of materials we refer to as a Group of Uniform Materials Based on Organic Salts (GUMBOS). GUMBOS are largely frozen ionic liquids, although the concept is more general and is also easily applied to solid ionic materials with melting points in excess of 100 °C. Nanoparticles based on GUMBOS (nanoGUMBOS) derived from a NIR fluorophore are prepared using a reprecipitation method and evaluated for in vivo fluorescence imaging. Due to their uniformity, single-step preparation, and composite nature, nanoGUMBOS help to resolve issues with dye leakage problems innate to alternate cellular stains and unlock a myriad of applications for these materials, highlighting exciting possibilities for multifunctional nanoGUMBOS.

Collective fluorescence switching of counterion-assembled dyes in polymer nanoparticles

“…An original alternative is to use ionic dyes in the form of salts with hydrophobic bulky counterions, thus changing the dye topology from planar to three-dimensional. In pure form, such salts were described as 'frozen ionic liquids' with appreciable fluorescence, which confirms that the counterion can prevent p-stacking of the dyes 25,26 . The tetraphenyl borate (TPB) anion and its fluorinated analogues, used as ionophores in polymeric cation-sensitive electrodes 27,28 , are particularly interesting counterions due to their bulky tetrahedral structure.…”

“…7), while preventing them from p-stacking into non-fluorescent aggregates. The chemical structure of R18/F5-TPB, with its bulky hydrophobic ions, is typical for (frozen) ionic liquids 25 , which suggests that it can undergo an electrostatically driven shortrange ordering inside the PLGA matrix (Fig. 7).…”

Organic Nanocrystals for Nanomedicine and Biophotonics

“…Recently, numerous researches focusing on the optoelectrical property of organic nanocrystals have been reported by several groups (Zhao et al, 2008. However, the applications of organic nanocrystals on biomedical researchers are quite less (Sin et al, 2006, Bwambok et al, 2009), instead of their radical increasing importance. Therefore, recent our interest and challenging topics are applying organic nanocrystals technology toward the applications of drugs for medical treatments and fluorescent probe for bioimaging.…”

Lumineszierende Kohlenstoff‐Nanopunkte: Nanolichtquellen mit Zukunft

“…In dieser Hinsicht teilen sie einige der attraktiven Eigenschaften der GUMBOS-Materialien (groups of uniform materials based on organic salts) [55,56] und der fluoreszierenden Thiolatstabilisierten Gold-Nanocluster [57] als zukünftige Alternativen zu Quantenpunktmarkern in biologischen Experimenten. Eine kürzlich erschienene Studie, die über das photoinduzierte Elektrontransferverhalten von C-Punkten berichtet, [14] könnte zudem den Weg für Anwendungen in Batterien und als lichtsammelnde Einheiten in Solarzellen ebnen.…”