Synthesis of europium-doped VSOP, customized enhancer solution and improved microscopy fluorescence methodology for unambiguous histological detection

Abstract Background Intrinsic iron in biological tissues frequently precludes unambiguous the identification of iron oxide nanoparticles when iron-based detection methods are used. Here we report the full methodology for synthesizing very small iron oxide nanoparticles (VSOP) doped with europium (Eu) in their iron oxide core (Eu-VSOP) and their unambiguous qualitative and quantitative detection by fluorescence. Methods and results The resulting Eu-VSOP contained 0.7 to 2.7% Eu relative to iron, which was sufficient for fluorescent detection while not altering other important particle parameters such as size, surface charge, or relaxivity. A customized enhancer solution with high buffer capacity and nearly neutral pH was developed to provide an antenna system that allowed fluorescent detection of Eu-VSOP in cells and histologic tissue slices as well as in solutions even under acidic conditions as frequently obtained from dissolved organic material. This enhancer solution allowed detection of Eu-VSOP using a standard fluorescence spectrophotometer and a fluorescence microscope equipped with a custom filter set with an excitation wavelength (λex) of 338 nm and an emission wavelength (λem) of 616 nm. Conclusion The fluorescent detection of Eu-doped very small iron oxide nanoparticles (Eu-VSOP) provides a straightforward tool to unambiguously characterize VSOP biodistribution and toxicology at tissue, and cellular levels, providing a sensitive analytical tool to detect Eu-doped IONP in dissolved organ tissue and biological fluids with fluorescence instruments.