Pegylated doxorubicin gold complex: From nanovector to potential intercalant agent for biosensor applications

We report an original approach to synthesize hybrid gold nanostructures in which doxorubicin (DOX), mixed to Poliethylenglycole diacid (PEG-COOH) led to original hybrid gold nanovector (DOX IN PEG AuNPs). In this work, we investigate the ability of DOX IN PEG-AuNPs to detect the amplification of the hybridization process by a sensitive Quartz crystal Microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) by intercalation process. The sensing layer was carried out by self-assembled monolayer of β mercaptoethylamine (cysteamine) on gold-coated quartz crystal sensor composed by a rigid homobifunctional cross-linker 1,4 phenilenediisothiocyanate (PDITC) linked covalently with amino-probe oligonucleotides. By QCM characterization in the range from 8 µM to 20 nM, we demonstrate high specificity of DOX IN PEG-AuNPs-DNA with a limit of detection (LOD) of 9 nM. This result is very promising for development of sensitive and effective nanoparticle-based biosensor for quantifying small biomolecules concentration in physiological liquids. These results open a possibility to realize a new class of nanovector which will be tailored for different biomedical application, such as imaging, targeting and drugs delivery.