Cardo Miota, Hernandez Rincon, Jones Nunez

ABSTRACT

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using the Turkevich reduction approach and employed to investigate their interactions with human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected and malignant cervical tissues. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confocal microscopy, multiphoton microscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) was utilized to characterize nanoparticle localization and tissue-specific responses. SEM and EDS analyses verified the successful incorporation and distribution of AuNPs within both HPV-positive and cancerous cervical specimens. Optical characterization revealed a prominent plasmonic absorption peak at approximately 520 nm. Furthermore, excitation at 900 nm enabled two-photon fluorescence imaging in the red spectral region, providing detailed visualization of tissue architecture and nanoparticle distribution. An additional infrared absorption feature was observed, likely resulting from nanoparticle aggregation within the tissue matrix. To explore molecular-level alterations, SERS measurements were performed on AuNP-treated samples, generating an average of 1,000 spectra per tissue type. Comparative spectral analysis demonstrated distinct differences between HPV-infected and malignant cervical tissues, particularly in Raman bands associated with nucleic acid components. These findings suggest that AuNP enhanced SERS, combined with advanced optical imaging techniques, may offer a rapid and sensitive platform for the detection and discrimination of cervical cancer-related pathological changes.