title: Fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles for magnetically enhanced cancer imaging and targeting in living subjects.
abstract: Early detection and targeted therapy are two major challenges in the battle against cancer. Novel imaging contrast agents and targeting approaches are greatly needed to improve the sensitivity and specificity of cancer theranostic agents. Here, we implemented a novel approach using a magnetic micromesh and biocompatible fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles (FMN) to magnetically enhance cancer targeting in living subjects. This approach enables magnetic targeting of systemically administered individual FMN, containing a single 8 nm superparamagnetic iron oxide core. Using a human glioblastoma mouse model, we show that nanoparticles can be magnetically retained in both the tumor neovasculature and surrounding tumor tissues. Magnetic accumulation of nanoparticles within the neovasculature was observable by fluorescence intravital microscopy in real time. Finally, we demonstrate that such magnetically enhanced cancer targeting augments the biological functions of molecules linked to the nanoparticle surface.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. aihuafu@nvigen.com
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Bryan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mullenix
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Earhart
authors.forename: Demir
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Akin
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guccione
authors.forename: Shan X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Sanjiv S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gambhir
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D053769:Nanocapsules