Antibody–drug gold nanoantennas with Raman spectroscopic fingerprints for in vivo tumour theranostics

Journal of Controlled Release 183 (2014) 87–93

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Antibody–drug gold nanoantennas with Raman spectroscopic fingerprints for in vivo tumour theranostics
João Conde a,b,⁎,1, Chenchen Bao c, Daxiang Cui c, Pedro V. Baptista b, Furong Tian d,⁎⁎ a Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
CIGMH, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
Department of Bio-Nano Science and Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Micro/Nano Fabrication Technology, Institute of Micro&Nano Science and Technology, Shanghai, PR China d Focas Research Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Camden Row, Dublin, Ireland b c

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 17 December 2013
Accepted 24 March 2014
Available online 1 April 2014
Keywords:
Nanotheranostics
Antibody–drug conjugates
Raman fingerprints
SERS
In vivo tumour targeting

a b s t r a c t
Inspired by the ability of SERS nanoantennas to provide an integrated platform to enhance disease targeting in vivo, we developed a highly sensitive probe for in vivo tumour recognition with the capacity to target specific cancer biomarkers such as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) on human cancer cells and xenograft tumour models. Here, we used ~ 90 nm gold nanoparticles capped by a Raman reporter, encapsulated and entrapped by larger polymers and a FDA antibody–drug conjugate – Cetuximab (Erbitux®) – that specifically targets EGFR and turns off a main signalling cascade for cancer cells to proliferate and survive. These drug/
SERS gold nanoantennas present a high Raman signal both in cancer cells and in mice bearing xenograft tumours.
Moreover, the Raman detection signal is accomplished simultaneously by extensive tumour

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