Biocompatible, small-sized and well-dispersed gold nanoparticles regulated by silk fibroin fiber from Bombyx mori cocoons

Abstract

Biocompatible, small-sized but well-dispersed gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) remain a major challenge for their synthesis. Here a convenient solution impregnation technique is developed to prepare such Au NPs under the regulation of degummed silk fibroin fibers (SFFs) extracted from Bombyx mori cocoons. SFFs play multiple roles in the formation of Au NPs such as reactive substrate to capture AuCl₄⁻ ions by the chelation of −C=O, reducing agent for Au(0) by the reduction of −OH, and modifiers to render biocompatible Au NPs by some functional groups and biomolecules. The as-prepared Au NPs with a size of 7–10 nm are embedded in the solid SFF substrate, and can disperse well in the liquid system by the disintegration of SFFs into silk fibroin (SF) in a certain CaCl₂ solution. The biocompatible Au NPs exhibit uniform small size and distribute stably in both solid and solution states, which have distinctive properties and functional advantages, and bring great convenience to their storage and transportation.

Keywords

Au NPs / biocompatibility / small size / dispersivity / silk fibroin fiber

References

[1] Hayashi K, Nakamura M, Miki H, . Gold nanoparticle cluster-plasmon-enhanced fluorescent silica core–shell nanoparticles for X-ray computed tomography-fluorescence dual-mode imaging of tumors. Chemical Communications, 2013, 49(46): 5334–5336

[2] Lin W, Yang C, Xue Z, . Controlled construction of gold nanoparticles in situ from β-cyclodextrin based unimolecular micelles for in vitro computed tomography. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2018, 528: 135–144

[3] Ghosh P S, Kim C K, Han G, . Efficient gene delivery vectors by tuning the surface charge density of amino acid-functionalized gold nanoparticles. ACS Nano, 2008, 2(11): 2213–2218

[4] Zhan F, Wang T, Iradukunda L, . A gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor for sensitive visual detection of the potato late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans. Analytica Chimica Acta, 2018, 1036(7): 153–161

[5] Zhang H, Zhang Y, Jin R, . Preparation and photothermal therapy of hyaluronic acid-conjugated Au nanoparticle-coated poly (glycidyl methacrylate) nanocomposites. Journal of Materials Science, 2018, 53(24): 16252–16262

[6] Han L, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, . A magnetic polypyrrole/iron oxide core/gold shell nanocomposite for multimodal imaging and photothermal cancer therapy. Talanta, 2017, 171(15): 32–38

[7] Bodelón G, Costas C, Pérez-Juste J, . Gold nanoparticles for regulation of cell function and behavior. Nano Today, 2017, 13: 40–60

[8] Hong X, Tan C, Chen J, . Synthesis, properties and applications of one- and two-dimensional gold nanostructures. Nano Research, 2015, 8(1): 40–55

[9] Kneipp J, Kneipp H, McLaughlin M, . In vivo molecular probing of cellular compartments with gold nanoparticles and nanoaggregates. Nano Letters, 2006, 6(10): 2225–2231

[10] Zhang J, Gao Y, Alvarez-Puebla R A, . Synthesis and SERS properties of nanocrystalline gold octahedra generated from thermal decomposition of HAuCl₄ in block copolymers. Advanced Materials, 2006, 18(24): 3233–3237

[11] Hurh J, Markus J, Kim Y J, . Facile reduction and stabilization of ginsenoside-functionalized gold nanoparticles: optimization, characterization, and in vitro cytotoxicity studies. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 2017, 19(9): 313 (13 pages)

[12] Park J E, Kim M, Hwang J H, . Golden opportunities: plasmonic gold nanostructures for biomedical applications based on the second near-infrared window. Small Methods, 2017, 1(3): 1600032 (6 pages)

[13] Shukla R, Bansal V, Chaudhary M, . Biocompatibility of gold nanoparticles and their endocytotic fate inside the cellular compartment: a microscopic overview. Langmuir, 2005, 21(23): 10644–10654

[14] Xu C, Tung G A, Sun S. Size and concentration effect of gold nanoparticles on X-ray attenuation as measured on computed tomography. Chemistry of Materials, 2008, 20(13): 4167–4169

[15] Wang P, Wang X, Wang L, . Interaction of gold nanoparticles with proteins and cells. Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 2015, 16(3): 034610

[16] Brust M, Walker M, Bethell D, . Synthesis of thiol-derivatized gold nanoparticles in a two-phase liquid–liquid system. Journal of the Chemical Society, Chemical Communications, 1994, (7): 801–802

[17] Chauhan A, Zubair S, Tufail S, . Fungus-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles: potential in detection of liver cancer. International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2011, 6: 2305–2319

[18] Chandran P R, Naseer M, Udupa N, . Size controlled synthesis of biocompatible gold nanoparticles and their activity in the oxidation of NADH. Nanotechnology, 2012, 23(1): 015602

[19] Vepari C, Kaplan D L. Silk as a biomaterial. Progress in Polymer Science, 2007, 32(8–9): 991–1007

[20] Rnjak-Kovacina J, DesRochers T M, Burke K A, . The effect of sterilization on silk fibroin biomaterial properties. Macromolecular Bioscience, 2015, 15(6): 861–874

[21] Koh L D, Cheng Y, Teng C P, . Structures, mechanical properties and applications of silk fibroin materials. Progress in Polymer Science, 2015, 46: 86–110

[22] Shen Y, Johnson M A, Martin D C. Microstructural characterization of Bombyx mori silk fibers. Macromolecules, 1998, 31(25): 8857–8864

[23] Mhuka V, Dube S, Nindi M M. Chemical, structural and thermal properties of Gonometa postica silk fibroin, a potential biomaterial. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2013, 52: 305–311

[24] Jin Y, Zhang Y, Hang Y, . A simple process for dry spinning of regenerated silk fibroin aqueous solution. Journal of Materials Research, 2013, 28(20): 2897–2902

[25] Dong Q, Su H, Zhang D. In situ depositing silver nanoclusters on silk fibroin fibers supports by a novel biotemplate redox technique at room temperature. The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 2005, 109(37): 17429–17434

[26] Li Z, Yang Y, Yao J, . A facile fabrication of silk/MoS₂ hybrids for photothermal therapy. Materials Science and Engineering C, 2017, 79: 123–129

[27] Johari N, Hosseini H R M, Samadikuchaksaraei A. Optimized composition of nanocomposite scaffolds formed from silk fibroin and nano-TiO₂ for bone tissue engineering. Materials Science and Engineering C, 2017, 79: 783–792

[28] Wei W, Zhang Y, Shao H, . Post-treatment of the dry-spun fibers obtained from regenerated silk fibroin aqueous solution in ethanol aqueous solution. Journal of Materials Research, 2011, 26(9): 1100–1106

[29] Shen T, Wang T, Cheng G, . Dissolution behavior of silk fibroin in a low concentration CaCl₂-methanol solvent: From morphology to nanostructure. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2018, 113: 458–463

[30] Yang Y, Chen X, Ding F, . Biocompatibility evaluation of silk fibroin with peripheral nerve tissues and cells in vitro. Biomaterials, 2007, 28(9): 1643–1652

[31] McGrath K, Kaplan D, eds. Protein-based Materials. Boston, USA: Birkhäuser, 1997

[32] Riabinina D, Zhang J, Chaker M, . Control of plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles via excimer laser irradiation. Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing, 2011, 102(1): 153–160

[33] Liu S, Chen G, Prasad P N, . Synthesis of monodisperse Au, Ag, and Au–Ag alloy nanoparticles with tunable size and surface plasmon resonance frequency. Chemistry of Materials, 2011, 23(18): 4098–4101

[34] Yu H, Chen M, Rice P M, . Dumbbell-like bifunctional Au–Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Nano Letters, 2005, 5(2): 379–382

[35] Zhu H, Du M, Zou M, . Facile and green synthesis of well-dispersed Au nanoparticles in PAN nanofibers by tea polyphenols. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2012, 22(18): 9301–9307

[36] Dykman L A, Khlebtsov N G. Gold nanoparticles in biomedical applications: recent advances and perspectives. Chemical Society Reviews, 2012, 41(6): 2256–2282

[37] Wilcoxon J P, Martin J E, Parsapour F, . Photoluminescence from nanosize gold clusters. The Journal of Chemical Physics, 1998, 108(21): 9137–9143

[38] Zhou C, Yu J, Qin Y, . Grain size effects in polycrystalline gold nanoparticles. Nanoscale, 2012, 4(14): 4228–4233

[39] Zhang X. Gold nanoparticles: Recent advances in the biomedical applications. Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, 2015, 72(3): 771–775

[40] Zhou C, Long M, Qin Y P, . Luminescent gold nanoparticles with efficient renal clearance. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 2011, 50(14): 3168–3172

[41] Wei J, Zhu Y, Peng T, . Analyses on FT-IR and Raman spectra of sericin fixed silk fibres. Textile Auxiliaries, 2004, 21(3): 51–53 (in Chinese)

[42] Su H, Han J, Dong Q, . In situ bioinspired synthesis of silver chloride nanocrystals on silk fibroin fibers. Applied Physics A: Materials Science & Processing, 2011, 102(2): 429–434

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature