title: Folic acid-modified dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles as nanoprobes for targeted CT imaging of human lung adencarcinoma.
abstract: We report a new usage of folic acid-modified dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles (Au DENPs-FA) as nanoprobes for in vitro and in vivo targeted computed tomography (CT) imaging of human lung adencarcinoma. In this study, Au DENPs prepared using amine-terminated generation 5 poly(amidoamine) dendrimers as templates were covalently linked with FA, followed by an acetylation reaction to neutralize the remaining dendrimer surface amines. The formed Au DENPs-FA was used for both in vitro and in vivo targeted CT imaging of human lung adencarcinoma cells (SPC-A1 cells) and the xenograft tumor model, which express folic acid receptors (FAR) verified by immunohistochemical staining. Micro-CT images show that SPC-A1 cells can be detected under X-ray after incubation with the Au DENPs-FA in vitro and the xenograft tumor model can be imaged after intravenous, intratumoral, and intraperitoneal administration of the particles. Transmission electron microscopy data confirm that the Au DENPs-FA is able to be uptaken dominantly in the lysosomes of the cells. Combined morphological observation of cells after Hematoxylin and Eosin staining, MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay of cell viability, and flow cytometric analysis of cell cycle and apoptosis show that the Au DENPs-FA does not affect cell morphology, viability, and cell cycle and apoptosis, indicating their good biocompatibility at the given concentration range. These findings suggest that the developed Au DENPs-FA have a great potential to be used as imaging probes for targeted CT imaging of human lung adencarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200080, PR China.
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Linfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Mingwu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Xiangyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D050091:Dendrimers; C104700:PAMAM Starburst; D006046:Gold; D005492:Folic Acid