Figure 3.

The uptake of aptamers and aptamer-linked AuNP nanoconstructs in cell culture. A- Total cell uptake of Cy5.5-labeled nucleolin-specific aptamer (NUAP) and control non-specific aptamer (CTAP) incubated with HNC cell line FaDu and squamous carcinoma A431 for 4h. The uptake was determined by using measurements of Cy5.5 fluorescence in cell lysates; B- fractional content of surface-bound and internalized AuNP-aptamer-STAT3d constructs in FaDu and A431 cells. The % of total in the bound and internalized fractions was determined by measuring fluorescence of cell lysates after fractionation (surface and internalized). AuNP constructs were incubated in the cell culture for 4h at 37^oC. C- Internalization of STAT3d, AuNP-STAT3d and AuNP-NUAP-STAT3d in FaDu and A431 cells by [^99mTc] radiolabeling of a one of the strand of STAT3d by using modification with MAG3 chelate.