title: Rapid transformation of protein-caged nanomaterials into microbubbles as bimodal imaging agents.
abstract: We present a general method for converting colloidal nanomaterials into microbubbles as ultrasound contrast agents. Protein-caged nanomaterials, made either by self-assembled nanoparticles' protein corona or by fluorescent gold nanoclusters, can be rapidly transformed into microbubbles via a sonochemical route, which promote disulfide cross-linking of cysteine residues between protein-caged nanomaterials and free albumin during acoustic cavitation. The proposed methods yielded microbubbles with multiple functions by adjusting the original nanoparticle/protein mixture. We also showed a new dual-modal imaging agent of fluorescent gold microbubbles in vitro and in vivo, which can hold many potential applications in medical diagnostics and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li 32023, Taiwan. chengan_lin@cycu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Cheng-An J
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wen-Kai
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Zih-Yun
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shih-Tsung
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ching-Ta
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jhih-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jimmy K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hsueh-Hsiao
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fu-Chen
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Kung
authors.forename: Ji-Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Wen-Hsiung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Chih-Kuang
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Hung-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Wen-Fu T
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Walter H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D008422:Materials Testing; D045423:Microbubbles; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D057054:Molecular Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D011506:Proteins
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D011506:Proteins