Composition and method for monitoring lipid

Abstract

A method of detecting a condition in a subject comprises the steps of contacting cells of the subject with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), monitoring photoluminescence emitted by SWCNTs internalized into the cells and generating an SWCNT emission profile, comparing the SWCNT emission profile to a control emission profile for the SWCNTs to produce a result, and determining a likelihood of having the condition in the subject based on the result from the comparing step. Also disclosed is a method for screening agents capable of changing endocytic environment using SWCNTs.

1 . A method of detecting a condition in a subject using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), comprising:
 contacting cells of said subject with SWCNTs;   monitoring photoluminescence emitted by SWCNTs internalized into said cells and generating an SWCNT emission profile;   comparing the SWCNT emission profile to a control emission profile for the SWCNTs to produce a result; and   determining a likelihood of having said condition in said subject based on the result from said comparing step.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SWCNTs are semi-conductive SWCNTs. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SWCNTs are oligonucleotide-coated non-covalently encapsulated SWCNTs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SWCNTs are encapsulated by DNA oligonucleotides, optionally the DNA oligonucleotides are ss(GT) 6  oligonucleotides. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SWCNTs have chiral indices (n,m) of (6,5) or (8,6). 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the SWCNTs are purified (8,6) SWCNTs encapsulated with ss(GT) 6  oligonucleotides. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the condition is a disease linked to elevated lipid and cholesterol content and wherein a blue-shift in the SWCNT emission profile from the control emission profile is an indication of the present of the condition in the subject. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the condition is atherosclerosis, fatty liver disorder or cancer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the condition is hypercholesterolemia. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cells contacted with SWCNTs are cultured in vitro. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cells contacted with SWCNTs are fibroblasts, microphages or hepatocytes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cells contacted with SWCNTs are located in a subject in vivo. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 extracting cells from the subject; and   culturing the extracted cells in vitro to produce culture cells,   wherein the cells contacted with SWCNTs are the cultured cells from the culturing step.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the sample is a biological sample. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sample is a plasma sample. 
     
     
         18 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A kit for detecting changes in lipid accumulation, comprising:
 SWCNTs; and   oligonucleotides suitable for encapsulating SWCNTs.   
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 23 , wherein the SWCNTs are (8,6) carbon nanotubes and the oligonucleotides are ss(GT) 6  oligonucleotides.