Saposin C coupled lipid nanovesicles enable cancer-selective optical and magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
Nanovesicles composed of the phospholipid dioleylphosphatidylserine (DOPS) and a fusogenic protein, saposin C (SapC), selectively target and induce apoptotic cell death in a variety of human cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We tested whether such tumor-homing nanovesicles are capable of delivering fluorescent probes and magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agents to cancerous tissue to aid in earlier detection and improve visualization.


METHODS
SapC-DOPS nanovesicles labeled with either a far-red fluorescent probe (CellVue® Maroon, CVM) or conjugated with a dextran coated MR contrast agent, ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO), were systemically administrated into xenografts for tumor detection using optical and MR imaging systems.


RESULTS
SapC-DOPS nanovesicles were effectively detected in vivo in tumor-bearing animals using both optical and MR imaging techniques, thereby demonstrating the cancer-selective properties of these nanovesicles.


CONCLUSIONS
SapC-DOPS nanovesicles offer promise as a new and robust theranostic agent for broad cancer-selective detection, visualization, and potential therapy.
Kaimal
Vinod
V
Biomedical Engineering, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Chu
Zhengtao
Z
Mahller
Yonatan Y
YY
Papahadjopoulos-Sternberg
Brigitte
B
Cripe
Timothy P
TP
Holland
Scott K
SK
Qi
Xiaoyang
X
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010316:Particle Size; D049231:Saposins / Q000737:chemistry*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049231:Saposins