Safe Core-Satellite Magneto-Plasmonic Nanostructures for Efficient Targeting and Photothermal Treatment of Tumor Cells

Magneto-plasmonic nanostructures functionalized with cell targeting units are interesting for nanobiotechnology applications. Photothermal treatment of cells targeted with antibody functionalized nanostructures and magnetically isolated, allows killing selected cells and is one of the applications of great interest. The magneto-plasmonic nanostructures here reported are synthesized with naked gold and magnetite nanoparticles obtained with a green approach based on laser ablation of bulk materials in water. The particles do not need purifications steps for biocompatibility and are functionalized with a SERRS (surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering) active molecule for detection and with an antibody for targeting tumor prostate cells. Quantitative results for the cell targeting and selection efficiency show, at picomolar concentrations, an overall accuracy of 94%. The photothermal treatment efficiently kill targeted and magneto-selected cells producing a viability below 5% after 3 minutes of irradiation compared with almost 100% viability of incubated and irradiated, but non targeted, cells.