Gold Nano-/Microroses on Levodopa Microtubes for SERS-Based Sensing of Gliomas

Abstract

Anisotropic metal nanostructures with unique physicochemical properties are undeniable promising systems toward diverse applications, ranging from those in materials science to biological fields. Burning examples of these are gold nano-/microflowers, fabricated via reduction method. Here, a novel notion of assembly pathway dependent single-step synthesis of gold nano/micro “nested structures” with abundant gold nanoplates resembling petals is being reported, which involves mere manual mixing of chloroauric acid and self-build levodopa microtubes at room temperature (RT 25 °C). Compared to multifaceted, intricate methods reported in literature, the present system is facile, controllable, reproducible, and 100% aqueous with enhanced stability. Unique three-dimensional nested structures of microroses accompanied by abundance of gold nanoplates coated with oxidized products of levodopa (biopolymer) may offer numerous interaction sites for biomolecules as well as cells along with permeability across the blood–brain barrier, thereby making the system a favorable biosensing platform. Application of rhodamine 6G capped levodopa gold microroses as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based biosensing probe has been demonstrated in C6 glioma cells toward in situ diagnostics of glioma or other neural disorders.