Lectin-conjugated Fe2O3@Au core@Shell nanoparticles as dual mode contrast agents for in vivo detection of tumor.
Here, we report the covalent conjugation of lectin on Fe2O3@Au core@shell nanoparticle (lectin-Fe2O3@Au NP) for T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) dual-modality imaging. The lectin-Fe2O3@Au NPs are prepared by coupling lectins to the Fe2O3@Au NP surfaces through bifunctional PEG NHS ester disulfide (NHS-PEG-S-S-PEG-NHS) linkers. After the nonspecific adsorption sites on the nanoparticle surface are blocked by thiolated PEG (PEG-SH), the lectin-Fe2O3@Au NPs exhibit excellent stability in biological medium and inappreciable cytotoxicity. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were then carried out for evaluating the capabilities of three selected lectin (ConA, RCA and WGA)-Fe2O3@Au NPs. The results revealed that the lectin-Fe2O3@Au NPs had a capacity not only for dual mode MR and CT imaging in vitro but also for MR and CT imaging of colorectal cancer in vivo. The experimental results also suggest that lectin could be used as tumor targeting ligand for synthesizing nanoparticle-based contrast agents.
School of Life Science and Technology, Changchun University of Science and Technology , Changchun 130022, P. R. China.
Xiuxia
X
He
Fuyao
F
Liu
Liang
L
Liu
Taicheng
T
Duan
Huimao
H
Zhang
Zhenxin
Z
Wang
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D037102:Lectins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D037102:Lectins; C000499:ferric oxide; D006046:Gold
Fe2O3@Au core@shell nanoparticle; colorectal cancer; dual mode contrast agents; lectin