Functionalized near-infrared quantum dots for in vivo tumor vasculature imaging.
In this paper, we report the use of near-infrared (NIR)-emitting alloyed quantum dots (QDs) as efficient optical probes for high contrast in vivo imaging of tumors. Alloyed CdTe(1 - x)Se(x)/CdS QDs were prepared in the non-aqueous phase using the hot colloidal synthesis approach. Water dispersion of the QDs were accomplished by their encapsulation within polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-grafted phospholipid micelles. For tumor-specific delivery in vivo, the micelle-encapsulated QDs were conjugated with the cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (cRGD) peptide, which targets the alpha(v)beta(3) integrins overexpressed in the angiogenic tumor vasculatures. Using in vivo NIR optical imaging of mice bearing pancreatic cancer xenografts, implanted both subcutaneously and orthotopically, we have demonstrated that systemically delivered cRGD-conjugated QDs, but not the unconjugated ones, can efficiently target and label the tumors with high signal-to-noise ratio. Histopathological analysis of major organs of the treated mice showed no evidence of systemic toxicity associated with these QDs. These experiments suggest that cRGD-conjugated NIR QDs can serve as safe and efficient probes for optical bioimaging of tumors in vivo. Furthermore, by co-encapsulating these QDs and anticancer drugs within these micelles, we have demonstrated a promising theranostic, nanosized platform for both cancer imaging and therapy.
The Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics (ILPB), University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4200, USA.
Rui
R
Hu
Ken-Tye
KT
Yong
Indrajit
I
Roy
Hong
H
Ding
Wing-Cheung
WC
Law
Hongxing
H
Cai
Xihe
X
Zhang
Lisa A
LA
Vathy
Earl J
EJ
Bergey
Paras N
PN
Prasad
D000042:Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D051379:Mice; D008823:Micelles; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply*; D010316:Particle Size; D045663:Quantum Dots; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D013997:Time Factors; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D008823:Micelles; D004317:Doxorubicin