title: A new type of silica-coated Gd₂(CO₃)₃:Tb nanoparticle as a bifunctional agent for magnetic resonance imaging and fluorescent imaging.
abstract: We report a new type of dual modal nanoprobe to combine optical and magnetic resonance bioimaging. A simple reverse microemulsion method and coating process was introduced to synthesize silica-coated Gd(2)(CO(3))(3):Tb nanoparticles, and the particles, with an average diameter of 16 nm, can be dispersed in water. As in vitro cell imaging of the nanoprobe shows, the nanoprobe accomplishes delivery to gastric SGC7901 cancer cells successfully in a short time, as well as NCI-H460 lung cancer cells. Furthermore, it presents no evidence of cell toxicity or adverse affect on kidney cell growth under high dose, which makes the nanoprobe's optical bioimaging modality available. The possibility of using the nanoprobe for magnetic resonance imaging is also demonstrated, and the nanoprobe displays a clear T(1)-weighted effect and could potentially serve as a bimodal T(1)-positive contrast agent. Therefore, the new nanoprobe formed from carbonate nanoprobe doped with rare earth ions provides the dual modality of optical and magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Rare Earths and Micro/nano Functional Materials, Institute for Advanced Study, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Xianzhu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Yongxiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002254:Carbonates / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D013725:Terbium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D003287:Contrast Media; D013725:Terbium; D005682:Gadolinium