Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Nanoparticles for Imaging Tumor Oxidative Stress

Researchers at Stanford have developed reactive oxygen species (ROS) sensing nanoparticles (NP) that can amplify Raman fingerprint signals and detect ROS changes. Using Raman spectrometry augmented with nanoparticles that leverage Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), the researchers detect ROS at femtomolar levels in cell models and a mouse xenograft model. The mesoporous SiO2 shell containing gold nanoparticle core with a Raman layer, targets cancer cells via an integrin-targeting cystine knot peptide. These SERS NPs provide a powerful and sensitive tool for the detection of ROS, and the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with oxidative stress including cancer, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, the SERS NPs have multimodal imaging properties and can be tailored to serve as a contrast agent for CT and optoacoustic imaging, as well as PET imaging.

Stage of Development: Research In Vivo

SERS nanoparticles detected oxidative stress in variety of cancer cell lines, and were consistent with alternative assays for ROS like DCFH-DA. In a mouse model, the inventors demonstrated that SERS nanoparticles administered via IV localize to tumors with high ROS levels and are detectable in whole animal imaging, with no signal detected in healthy tissue.