OTN-NIR Fluorescent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Murine Colon-26 Cells

Hypothesis: o-SWCNTs may be suitable for cellular labeling with OTN-NIR fluorescence.

The data shows that OTN-NIR fluorescence was not observed in the cells after 24-h incubation with the o-SWCNT-PEG but clearly increased with longer incubation time from three days after the treatment (Figure 4). This result was further confirmed by Raman microscopy (Figure 5).

OTN-NIR fluorescence intensity was associated with the cellular uptake of the o-SWCNT-PEG. These results suggest that the Colon-26 cells were successfully labeled by the o-SWCNTs-PEG that emit OTN-NIR fluorescence. This delayed concentration followed by a long retention of the o-SWCNT-PEG in cells will facilitate further biotechnological applications of the o-SWCNTs to in vivo deep OTN-NIR fluorescent imaging.

These data were gathered using the o-SWCNTs were synthesized by oxygenation of SWCNTs by ozone under ultraviolet irradiation and were dispersed in an aqueous solution of DSPE-PEG to prepare biocompatible o-SWCNTs (o-SWCNT-PEG).