Evaluating the pharmacokinetics and in vivo cancer targeting capability of Au nanocages by positron emission tomography imaging.
Gold nanocages have recently emerged as a novel class of photothermal transducers and drug carriers for cancer treatment. However, their pharmacokinetics and tumor targeting capability remain largely unexplored due to the lack of an imaging modality for quick and reliable mapping of their distributions in vivo. Herein, Au nanocages were prepared with controlled physicochemical properties and radiolabeled with (64)Cu in high specific activities for in vivo evaluation using positron emission tomography (PET). Our pharmacokinetic studies with femtomolar administrations suggest that 30 nm nanocages had a greatly improved biodistribution profile than 55 nm nanocages, together with higher blood retention and lower hepatic and splenic uptakes. In a murine EMT-6 breast cancer model, the small cages also showed a significantly higher level of tumor uptake and a greater tumor-to-muscle ratio than the large cages. Quantitative PET imaging confirmed rapid accumulation and retention of Au nanocages inside the tumors. The ability to directly and quickly image the distribution of Au nanocages in vivo allows us to further optimize their physicochemical properties for a range of theranostic applications.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.
Yucai
Y
Wang
Yongjian
Y
Liu
Hannah
H
Luehmann
Xiaohu
X
Xia
Paige
P
Brown
Chad
C
Jarreau
Michael
M
Welch
Younan
Y
Xia
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003301:Copper Radioisotopes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold; D008297:Male; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D050997:Nanomedicine; D036103:Nanotechnology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003301:Copper Radioisotopes; D006046:Gold