Provided are methods of detecting antigens in a sample by methods using a nanoparticle-enhanced enzymatic immune bio sensor. Methods of detecting abnormal kidney function in a subject and methods of detecting cancer in a subject are provided. Also provided are kits for detecting antigens.

The present invention relates to glucose-responsive hyaluronic acid nanoparticles having boronic acid compounds chemically bonded thereto, and a composition including the same. When the nanoparticles according to the present invention are used, cancer may be diagnosed and treated using a cancer cell-specific biological mechanism, without the use of existing contrast agents and anticancer agents which have the problem of toxicity.

The present invention provides a fluorescent silica-based nanoparticle that allows for precise detection, characterization, monitoring and treatment of a disease such as cancer. The nanoparticle has a range of diameters including between about 0.1 nm and about 100 nm, between about 0.5 nm and about 50 nm, between about 1 nm and about 25 nm, between about 1 nm and about 15 nm, or between about 1 nm and about 8 nm. The nanoparticle has a fluorescent compound positioned within the nanoparticle, and has greater brightness and fluorescent quantum yield than the free fluorescent compound. The nanoparticle also exhibits high biostability and biocompatibility. To facilitate efficient urinary excretion of the nanoparticle, it may be coated with an organic polymer, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The small size of the nanoparticle, the silica base and the organic polymer coating minimizes the toxicity of the nanoparticle when administered in vivo. In order to target a specific cell type, the nanoparticle may further be conjugated to a ligand, which is capable of binding to a cellular component associated with the specific cell type, such as a tumor marker. In one embodiment, a therapeutic agent may be attached to the nanoparticle. To permit the nanoparticle to be detectable by not only optical fluorescence imaging, but also other imaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), computerized tomography (CT), bioluminescence imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radionuclides/radiometals or paramagnetic ions may be conjugated to the nanoparticle.

Disclosed are functionalizable ligands, nanoparticles, preferably nanocrystals, complexed with ligands and their use for bio-imaging. A nano material includes a nanoparticle and at least one copolymer ligand. A ligand which is a copolymer of general formula (I): H-P[(A)x-co-(B)y]n-L-R.

The present disclosure provides quantum dots and methods of making the quantum dots comprising a substantially homogeneous population of monomeric nanocrystals, of a very small size, about 7 nm to about 12 nm in diameter. The method comprises mixing a nanocrystal coated with weakly binding ligands or ions with a polymer in a solution and incubating at a temperature greater than about 100 C., thereby forming a quantum dot having a substantially homogenous population of monomeric nanocrystals. The quantum dots can be further conjugated to bioaffinity molecules, enabling broad utilization of compact, biofunctional quantum dots for studying crowded macromolecular environments.

A gold nanoparticle-based assay for the detection of a target molecule, such as Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA in serum samples, that uses positively charged gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in solution based format. The assay has been tested on 74 serum clinical samples suspected of containing HCV RNA, with 48 and 38 positive and negative samples respectively. The developed assay has a specificity and sensitivity of 96.5% and 92.6% respectively. The results obtained were confirmed by Real-Time PCR, and a concordance of 100% for the negative samples and 89% for the positive samples has been obtained between the Real-Time PCR and the developed AuNPs based assay. Also, a purification method for the HCV RNA has been developed using HCV RNA specific probe conjugated to homemade silica nanoparticles. These silica nanoparticles have been synthesized by modified Stober method. This purification method enhanced the specificity of the developed AuNPs assay. The method can detect a target molecule, such as HCV RNA in serum, by employing modified silica nanoparticles to capture the target from a biological sample followed by detection of the captured target molecule using positively charged AuNPs. The assay is simple, cheap, sensitive and specific. Another aspect of the invention is anisotropic silver nanoparticles and methods of their use.

The present disclosure provides encoded chromophoric polymer particles that are capable of, for example, optical and/or biomolecular encoding of analytes. The present disclosure also provides suspensions comprising a plurality of encoded chromophoric polymer particles. The present disclosure also provides methods of using the encoded chromophoric polymer particles and systems for performing multiplex analysis with encoded chromophoric polymer particles.

The present invention relates to a method for detecting a target analyte using a gold nanoparticle, comprising growing a copper crystal specifically on a gold nanoparticle by treating the gold nanoparticle with a solution comprising a copper ion, a polymer having a primary or secondary amine group, and a reducing agent, a composition for amplifying a signal used in the detection method above, and a kit for detecting a target analyte comprising the composition for amplifying a signal above.

The present disclosure relates to urinary polyamines useful as prostate cancer biomarkers. In particular, the present disclosure provides a novel, highly-sensitive and specific, method for detecting and quantifying urinary polyamines using lanthanide complexes or citrate capped gold nanoparticles.

The present invention relates to a protein which binds to the domain encoded by exon 9 of human CD44 (CD44ex9), to fusion proteins and conjugates of said protein and especially to nanoparticles conjugated to said protein. The invention further relates to a method of production for the protein and the respective conjugated nanoparticles and the use of the protein of the invention for treatment and diagnosis of cancer diseases.