Covalent Attachment of Aggregation-Induced Emission Molecules to the Surface of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles to Enhance Cell Penetration |
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| Authors: | Kai Klein Matthias Hayduk Sebastian Kollenda Marco Schmiedtchen Jens Voskuhl Matthias Epple |
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| Affiliation: | 1.Inorganic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5-7, 45117 Essen, Germany; (K.K.); (S.K.);2.Organic Chemistry and Center for Nanointegration Duisburg-Essen (CeNIDE), University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 5-7, 45117 Essen, Germany; (M.H.); (M.S.) |
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| Abstract: | Three different alkyne-terminated aggregation-induced emission molecules based on a para-substituted di-thioether were attached to the surface of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (2 nm) by copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (click chemistry). They showed a strong fluorescence and were well water-dispersible, in contrast to the dissolved AIE molecules. The AIE-loaded nanoparticles were not cytotoxic and easily penetrated the membrane of HeLa cells, paving the way for an intracellular application of AIE molecules, e.g., for imaging. |
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| Keywords: | gold nanoparticles click chemistry aggregation-induced emission bioavailability |
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