Stimuli-responsive 'On-Off' SERS-darkfield bimodal plasmonic nanoprobes for selective cancer cell illumination.

Swati Tanwar, Peng Zheng, Lintong Wu, Ishan Barman

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Biosensors & bioelectronics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Application of Composite Raman Probes in Tumor Diagnosis and Imaging.Polymers · 2026
Review

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Swati TanwarDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.

Peng ZhengDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.

Lintong WuDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.

Ishan BarmanThe Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: ibarman@jhu.edu.

Funding

Determination of functional and molecular biomarkers of treatment resistance with multimodal optical spectroscopyR01CA238025 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT FAYETTEVILLE · PI RAJARAM, NARASIMHAN · 2019 to 2024

$2.0M

Next-generation optical nanoprobes: From quantum biosensing to cellular monitoringR35GM149272 · NIGMS · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI ISHAN BARMAN · 2023 to 2026

$1.6M

NCI NIH HHS R01 CA238025NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM149272

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Early detection is essential for improving cancer treatment outcomes. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) offers high sensitivity and molecular specificity but suffers from slow imaging speed when used independently. Here, we introduce stimuli-responsive bimodal SERS-dark-field (DF) nanoprobes for rapid and selective imaging of metastatic prostate cancer cells. These nanoprobes utilize legumain enzyme-responsive peptide coatings on plasmonic gold nanocubes and a bio-orthogonal self-condensation mechanism to facilitate enzyme-triggered nanoprobe aggregation. Upon internalization, the nanoprobes selectively aggregate in DU145 cells that overexpress legumain, while remaining uniformly dispersed in LNCaP cells with minimal legumain activity. DF microscopy quickly identifies these aggregates, significantly expediting subsequent SERS imaging. The engineered design of these nanoprobes ensures distinct vibrational signatures specifically correlated to enzyme activity, establishing a direct link between enzymatic presence and SERS signal generation. By combining the rapid localization capabilities of DF imaging with the molecular precision of SERS, our bimodal imaging strategy significantly surpasses conventional single-modal SERS techniques, providing a versatile platform for fast and accurate detection of various diseases through their distinctive enzymatic profiles.

Indexed as

Biosensing TechniquesMetal NanoparticlesProstatic NeoplasmsSpectrum Analysis, RamanAsparaginyl EndopeptidaseCell Line, TumorCysteine EndopeptidasesGoldHumansMaleAsparaginyl EndopeptidaseCysteine EndopeptidasesGoldCancer imagingDark-field imagingNanoparticlesSelf-assemblyStimuli responsiveSurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Identifiers

PMID40449262

DOI10.1016/j.bios.2025.117615

PMCPMC12284949

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.