SERS+MEF of the anti-tumoral drug emodin adsorbed on silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Metal nanostructures are known to amplify the spontaneous emission of fluorescent molecules by resonant coupling to external electromagnetic fields. We have used spectroscopy to characterize the structural properties of emodin molecules, a natural anthraquinone dye, and bovine serum albumin, the most abundant protein in plasma, in the presence of silver nanoparticles. Aggregation of emodin at pH=10 and pH=6 gives rise to SERS and MEF effects in silver colloid. We have obtained MEF spectra at acidic pH=2.9 using two different silver nanostructures. We have also studied the change in the secondary structure of bovine serum albumin adsorbed on metal nanoparticles surface. Circular dichroism, fluorescence emission and fluorescence lifetime measurements indicate an increase in the alfa-helical content of the protein and a change in the environment of the tryptophan residues that bury in the interior of the biomolecule. This variation on the secondary structure could have further influence in the binding of the drug to form transport and regulatory complexes.