title: Saposin C coupled lipid nanovesicles enable cancer-selective optical and magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaimal
authors.forename: Zhengtao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Yonatan Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Mahller
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Papahadjopoulos-Sternberg
authors.forename: Timothy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Cripe
authors.forename: Scott K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Xiaoyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049231:Saposins