TY - JOUR A1 - Moser, Marko A1 - Schneider, Ralf A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Schneider, Thomas A1 - Falkenhagen, Jana A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Ellman’s and aldrithiol assay as versatile and complementary tools for the quantification of thiol groups and ligands on nanomaterials JF - Analytical Chemistry N2 - Simple, fast, and versatile methods for the quantification of thiol groups are of considerable interest not only for protein analysis but also for the characterization of the surface chemistry of nanomaterials stabilized with thiol ligands or bearing thiol groups for the subsequent (bio-) functionalization via maleimide−thiol chemistry. Here, we compare two simple colorimetric assays, the widely used Ellman’s assay performed at alkaline pH and the aldrithiol assay executed at acidic and neutral pH, with respect to their potential for the quantification of thiol groups and thiol ligands on different types of nanoparticles like polystyrene nanoparticles, semiconductor nanocrystals (SC NC), and noble metal particles, and we derive criteria for their use. In order to assess the underlying reaction mechanisms and to obtain stoichiometry factors mandatory for reliable thiol quantification, both methods were studied photometrically and with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS), thereby demonstrating the influence of different thiols on the reaction mechanism. Our results underline the suitability of both methods for the quantification of directly accessible thiol groups or ligands on the surface of 2D- and 3D-supports, here exemplarily polystyrene nanoparticles. Moreover, we could derive strategies for the use of these simple assays for the determination of masked (i.e., not directly accessible) thiol groups like disulfides such as lipoic acid and thiol stabilizing ligands coordinatively bound to Cd and/or Hg surface atoms of II/VI and ternary SC NC and to gold and silver nanoparticles. KW - Nanoparticles KW - Ligands KW - Ellman KW - Aldrithiol KW - Quantification PY - 2016 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.6b01798 SN - 0003-2700 SN - 1520-6882 VL - 88 IS - 17 SP - 8624 EP - 8631 PB - ACS Publications CY - Washington AN - OPUS4-37561 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffmann, Katrin A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Grabolle, Markus A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Nanoparticle-encapsulated vis- and NIR-emissive fluorophores with different fluorescence decay kinetics for lifetime multiplexing JF - Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry N2 - Bioanalytical, clinical, and security applications increasingly require simple, efficient, and versatile strategies to measure an ever increasing number of analytes or events in parallel in a broad variety of detection formats as well as in conjunction with chromatographic separation techniques or flow cytometry. An attractive alternative to common optical multiplexing and encoding methods utilizing spectral multiplexing/color encoding and intensity encoding is lifetime multiplexing, which relies on the discrimination between different fluorescent reporters based on their fluorescence decay kinetics. Here, we propose a platform of surface-functionalizable polymeric nanoparticles stained with fluorophores differing in their fluorescence lifetimes as a new multiplexing and encoding approach. Proof-of-concept measurements with different sets of lifetime-encoded polystyrene nanoparticles are presented, obtained via staining of preformed particles with visible (vis)- and near-infrared (NIR)-emissive organic dyes, which display very similar absorption and emission spectra to enable excitation and detection at the same wavelengths, yet sufficiently different fluorescence decay kinetics in suspension, thereby minimizing instrumentation costs. Data analysis was performed with a linear combination approach in the lifetime domain. Our results and first cell experiments with these reporter sets underline the suitability of our multiplexing strategy for the discrimination between and the quantification of different labels. This simple and versatile concept can be extended to all types of fluorophores, thereby expanding the accessible time scale, and can be used, e.g., for the design of labels and targeted probes for fluorescence assays and molecular imaging, cellular imaging studies, and barcoding applications, also in conjunction with spectral and intensity encoding. KW - Fluorescent label KW - Multiplexing KW - Optical KW - encoding KW - Lifetime multiplexing KW - Fluorescence lifetime imaging FLIM KW - Nanoparticles PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-013-7597-3 SN - 1618-2642 SN - 1618-2650 VL - 406 IS - 14 SP - 3315 EP - 3322 PB - Springer CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-30077 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hoffmann, Katrin A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Drescher, Daniela A1 - Kneipp, Janina A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Near-infrared-emitting nanoparticles for lifetime-based multiplexed analysis and imaging of living cells JF - ACS nano N2 - The increase in information content from bioassays and bioimaging requires robust and efficient strategies for the detection of multiple analytes or targets in a single measurement, thereby addressing current health and security concerns. For fluorescence techniques, an attractive alternative to commonly performed spectral or color multiplexing presents lifetime multiplexing and the discrimination between different fluorophores based on their fluorescence decay kinetics. This strategy relies on fluorescent labels with sufficiently different lifetimes that are excitable at the same wavelength and detectable within the same spectral window. Here, we report on lifetime multiplexing and discrimination with a set of nanometer-sized particles loaded with near-infrared emissive organic fluorophores chosen to display very similar absorption and emission spectra, yet different fluorescence decay kinetics in suspension. Furthermore, as a first proof-of-concept, we describe bioimaging studies with 3T3 fibroblasts and J774 macrophages, incubated with mixtures of these reporters employing fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. These proof-of-concept measurements underline the potential of fluorescent nanoparticle reporters in fluorescence lifetime multiplexing, barcoding, and imaging for cellular studies, cell-based assays, and molecular imaging. KW - Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy KW - FLIM KW - Lifetime multiplexing KW - Near infrared KW - NIR KW - Cell imaging KW - Nanoparticles PY - 2013 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/nn4029458 SN - 1936-0851 VL - 7 IS - 8 SP - 6674 EP - 6684 PB - ACS Publ. CY - Washington, DC, USA AN - OPUS4-29031 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Natte, Kishore A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Orts Gil, Guillermo A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Friedrich, Jörg Florian A1 - Österle, Werner A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Synthesis and characterisation of highly fluorescent core-shell nanoparticles based on Alexa dyes JF - Journal of nanoparticle research N2 - Current and future developments in the emerging field of nanobiotechnology are closely linked to the rational design of novel fluorescent nanomaterials, e.g. for biosensing and imaging applications. Here, the synthesis of bright near infrared (NIR)-emissive nanoparticles based on the grafting of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) followed by covalent attachment of Alexa dyes and their subsequent shielding by an additional silica shell are presented. These nanoparticles were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fluorescence spectroscopy. TEM studies revealed the monodispersity of the initially prepared and fluorophorelabelled silica particles and the subsequent formation of raspberry-like structures after addition of a silica precursor.Measurements of absolute fluorescence quantum yields of these scattering particle suspensions with an integrating sphere setup demonstrated the influence of dye labelling density-dependent fluorophore aggregation on the signaling behaviour of such nanoparticles. KW - Silica KW - Alexa dyes KW - Fluorescent particles KW - Quantum yields KW - Nanoparticles KW - Protective shell KW - Nanobiotechnology PY - 2012 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-011-0680-9 SN - 1388-0764 SN - 1572-896X VL - 14 IS - 2 SP - 680-1 - 680-10 PB - Kluwer CY - Dordrecht AN - OPUS4-25872 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Napp, J. A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Fischer, L. A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Wottawa, M. A1 - Katschinski, D.M. A1 - Alves, F. A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute A1 - Schäferling, M. T1 - Targeted luminescent near-infrared polymer-nanoprobes for in vivo imaging of tumor hypoxia JF - Analytical chemistry N2 - Polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) were doped with an oxygen-sensitive near-infrared (NIR)-emissive palladium meso-tetraphenylporphyrin and an inert reference dye which are both excitable at 635 nm. The nanosensors were characterized with special emphasis on fundamental parameters such as absolute photoluminescence quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime. The PS-NPs were employed for ratiometric dual-wavelength and lifetime-based photoluminescent oxygen sensing. They were efficiently taken up by cultured murine alveolar macrophages, yielding a characteristic and reversible change in ratiometric response with decreasing oxygen concentration. This correlated with the cellular hypoxic status verified by analysis of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) accumulation. In addition, the surface of PS-NPs was functionalized with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and the monoclonal antibody herceptin, and their binding to HER2/neu-overexpressing tumor cells was confirmed in vitro. First experiments with tumor-bearing mouse revealed a distinctive ratiometric response within the tumor upon hypoxic condition induced by animal sacrifice. These results demonstrate the potential of these referenced NIR nanosensors for in vitro and in vivo imaging that present a new generation of optical probes for oncology. KW - Fluorescence KW - NIR KW - Nanoparticles KW - Microparticles KW - Imaging KW - Cancer KW - Oxygene PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1021/ac201870b SN - 0003-2700 SN - 1520-6882 VL - 83 IS - 23 SP - 9039 EP - 9046 PB - American Chemical Society CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-24987 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Behnke, Thomas A1 - Würth, Christian A1 - Hoffmann, Katrin A1 - Hübner, Martin A1 - Panne, Ulrich A1 - Resch-Genger, Ute T1 - Encapsulation of hydrophobic dyes in polystyrene micro- and nanoparticles via swelling procedures JF - Journal of fluorescence N2 - Aiming at the derivation of a generalized procedure for the straightforward preparation of particles fluorescing in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral region, different swelling procedures for the loading of the hydrophobic polarity-probe Nile Red into nano- and micrometer sized polystyrene particles were studied and compared with respect to the optical properties of the resulting particles. The effect of the amount of incorporated dye on the spectroscopic properties of the particles was investigated for differently sized beads with different surface chemistries, i.e., non-functionalized, aminomodified and PEG-grafted surfaces. Moreover, photostability and leaking studies were performed. The main criterion for the optimization of the dye loading procedures was a high and thermally and photochemically stable fluorescence output of the particles for the future application of these systems as fluorescent labels. KW - Fluorescence KW - Nile red KW - Polystyrene KW - Nanoparticles KW - Microparticles KW - Encapsulation KW - Swelling PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-010-0632-2 SN - 1053-0509 SN - 1573-4994 VL - 21 IS - 3 SP - 937 EP - 944 PB - Plenum Publ. Corp. CY - New York, NY AN - OPUS4-22692 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -