Guido Maes

Specific Cell Targeting with Nanobody Conjugated Branched Gold Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy

Branched gold nanoparticles are potential photothermal therapy agents because of their large absorption cross section in the near-infrared window. Upon laser irradiation they produce enough heat to destroy tumor cells. In this work, branched gold nanoparticles are biofunctionalized with nanobodies, the smallest fully functional antigen-binding fragments evolved from the variable domain, the VHH, of a camel heavy chain-only antibody. These nanobodies bind to the HER2 antigen which is highly expressed on breast and ovarian cancer cells. Flow cytometric analysis and dark field images of HER2 positive SKOV3 cells incubated with anti-HER2 conjugated branched gold nanoparticles show specific cell targeting. Laser irradiation studies reveal that HER2 positive SKOV3 cells exposed to the anti-HER2 targeted branched gold nanoparticles are destroyed after five minutes of laser treatment at 38 W/cm(2) using a 690 nm continuous wave laser. Starting from a nanoparticle optical density of 4, cell death is observed, whereas the control samples, nanoparticles with anti-PSA nanobodies, nanoparticles only, and laser only, do not show any cell death. These results suggest that this new type of bioconjugated branched gold nanoparticles are effective antigen-targeted photothermal therapeutic agents for cancer treatment.

Alumina and titania multilayer membranes for nanofiltration: preparation, characterization and chemical stability

Abstract The preparation and characterization of porous ceramic multilayer nanofiltration (NF) membranes is described. During preparation, special care was given to each sub-layer that forms a part of the multilayer configuration: the macroporous substrate, the membrane interlayers and the NF toplayers. High-quality macroporous supports are prepared from α-Al 2 O 3 . Three types of colloidal sol–gel derived mesoporous interlayers are considered: Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 and mixed Al 2 O 3 –TiO 2 . The active NF toplayer is a very thin and fine textured polymeric TiO 2 toplayer. Optimized α-Al 2 O 3 /γ-Al 2 O 3 /anatase and α-Al 2 O 3 /anatase/anatase multilayer configurations show high retentions for relatively small organic molecules (molecular weight cut-off 2 O 3 layers is restricted to mild aqueous media (pH 3–11) or non-aqueous media (organic solvents). For NF applications in aqueous media with a lower or higher pH, the multilayer membrane composed of anatase on a α-Al 2 O 3 support is to be preferred.

Fiber optic SPR biosensing of DNA hybridization and DNA–protein interactions

In this paper we present a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor as a reusable, cost-effective and label free biosensor for measuring DNA hybridization and DNA-protein interactions. This is the first paper that combines the concept of a fiber-based SPR system with DNA aptamer bioreceptors. The fibers were sputtered with a 50nm gold layer which was then covered with a protein repulsive self-assembled monolayer of mixed polyethylene glycol (PEG). Streptavidin was attached to the PEGs carboxyl groups to serve as a versatile binding element for biotinylated ssDNA. The ssDNA coated SPR fibers were first evaluated as a nucleic acid biosensor through a DNA-DNA hybridization assay for a random 37-mer ssDNA. This single stranded DNA showed a 15 nucleotides overlap with the receptor ssDNA on the SPR fiber. A linear calibration curve was observed in 0.5-5 microM range. A negative control test did not reveal any significant non-specific binding, and the biosensor was easily regenerated. In a second assay the fiber optic SPR biosensor was functionalized with ssDNA aptamers against human immunoglobulin E. Limits of detection (2nM) and quantification (6nM) in the low nanomolar range were observed. The presented biosensor was not only useful for DNA and protein quantification purposes, but also to reveal the binding kinetics occurring at the sensor surface. The dissociation constant between aptamer and hIgE was equal to 30.9+/-2.9nM. The observed kinetics fully comply with most data from the literature and were also confirmed by own control measurements.

Nanoscaled interdigitated titanium electrodes for impedimetric biosensing

Nanoscaled interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) are developed for the purpose of being used as miniature and sensitive affinity biosensors. Because of the ease to derivatise its surface, oxidized Ti is chosen as an electrode material on a SiO2 substrate. For proof of principle, oxidized and non-oxidized Ti IDEs are characterised in salt solutions and the immobilisation of glucose oxidase is monitored using impedance spectroscopy. Beside transducer development and demonstration, tailored bio interfaces are a prerequisite for the development of sensitive affinity biosensors. Therefore, a characterisation of immobilisations (based on silanisations) on TiO2 and SiO2 is conducted. For this study, different analytical techniques are identified and evaluated. The use of these techniques will enable a thorough characterisation of immobilisation processes, ultimately leading to miniature and sensitive affinity biosensors.

Enhanced Optical Trapping and Arrangement of Nano-Objects in a Plasmonic Nanocavity

Gentle manipulation of micrometer-sized dielectric objects with optical forces has found many applications in both life and physical sciences. To further extend optical trapping toward the true nanometer scale, we present an original approach combining self-induced back action (SIBA) trapping with the latest advances in nanoscale plasmon engineering. The designed resonant trap, formed by a rectangular plasmonic nanopore, is successfully tested on 22 nm polystyrene beads, showing both single- and double-bead trapping events. The mechanism responsible for the higher stability of the double-bead trapping is discussed, in light of the statistical analysis of the experimental data and numerical calculations. Furthermore, we propose a figure of merit that we use to quantify the achieved trapping efficiency and compare it to prior optical nanotweezers. Our approach may open new routes toward ultra-accurate immobilization and arrangement of nanoscale objects, such as biomolecules.

Fabrication, Characterization, and Optical Properties of Gold Nanobowl Submonolayer Structures

We report on a versatile method to fabricate hollow gold nanobowls and complex gold nanobowls (with a core) based on an ion milling and a vapor HF etching technique. Two different sized hollow gold nanobowls are fabricated by milling and etching submonolayers of gold nanoshells deposited on a substrate, and their sizes and morphologies are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Optical properties of hollow gold nanobowls with different sizes are investigated experimentally and theoretically, showing highly tunable plasmon resonance ranging from the visible to the near-infrared region. Additionally, finite difference time domain (FDTD) calculations show an enhanced localized electromagnetic field around hollow gold nanobowl structures, which indicates a potential application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy for biomolecular detection. Finally, we demonstrate the fabrication of complex gold nanobowls with a gold nanoparticle core which offers the capability to create plasmon hybridized nanostructures.

Neutral and zwitterionic glycine.H2O complexes: A theoretical and matrix-isolation Fourier transform infrared study

The H-bond interaction between glycine and H2O has been studied by a combined theoretical (DFT(B3LYP)/6-31++G(**)) and experimental (matrix-isolation FT-IR) methodology. The 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of the most stable conformation (I) of glycine appear to be neutral complexes which have been vibrationally characterized in detail. The higher stoichiometry complexes (glycine).(H2O)n with n larger than 3 are demonstrated to be zwitterionic H-bonded complexes. A set of characteristic IR absorption bands for this zwitterionic structure has been observed in low-temperature Ar matrices. This would be the first experimental IR evidence for proton transfer occurring between the NH2 and COOH groups of amino acids by a H-bonded water molecular channel in isolated conditions.

FT-IR characterization of tin dioxide gas sensor materials under working conditions

Abstract In this work self-supporting tin dioxide disks are characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy in the presence of a reducing gas in air, and in different O2/N2 mixtures at temperatures varying from room temperature up to 450°C. Every factor inducing a change in the oxygen content of the gas atmosphere above the tin dioxide, as for instance a temperature change, a surface reaction or adsorption of another species, induces a broad, intense IR absorption band with discrete weak bands superimposed on it. This broad absorption is assigned to the electronic transition from a native donor level, the oxygen vacancy in the bulk of the domain, to the conduction band of the tin dioxide material. For the interpretation of the narrow, superimposed absorptions, two hypotheses remain. The results demonstrate that FT-IR spectroscopy is an extremely suitable technique for the characterization of semiconducting metal oxide sensors, since it allows to follow in situ the processes in the bulk, at the surface and in the surrounding gas atmosphere of the sensor material at working temperature as well as in the presence of reducing gases in air.

Symmetry breaking induced optical properties of gold open shell nanostructures.

We use the finite difference time domain method to predict how optical plasmon properties are modified if the symmetrical geometry of gold shell nanostructures is broken. The simulations include three kinds of gold open shell nanostructures of nanobowls, open nanocages, and open eggshells. For all structures, the optical extinction spectra commonly display a distinct red shift when the full shell geometry is broken and a hyperbola-like dipolar plasmonic shift when the fractional height continuously decreases. The optical transitions of gold open shell nanostructures are explained by the plasmon hybridization theory combined with numerical calculations. Furthermore, the calculations exhibit that the local electric fields are strongly enhanced at the edges of the open nanoapertures on those symmetry-broken structures, which suggests a potential application in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Observation of plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding mode in silver nanoring structures

We report on a clear experimental observation of the plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding resonance in silver nanorings. The data can be explained effectively by the plasmon hybridization model, which is confirmed by the numerical calculations of the electromagnetic field and surface charge distribution profiles. The experimental demonstration of the plasmon hybridization model indicates its usefulness as a valuable tool to understand, design and predict optical properties of metallic nanostructures.