title: PEGylated NaLuF4: Yb/Er upconversion nanophosphors for in vivo synergistic fluorescence/X-ray bioimaging and long-lasting, real-time tracking.
abstract: Simultaneous in vivo luminescence and X-ray bioimaging in a tissue or animal integrates the advantages of each single-modal imaging technology, and will find widespread application in biological and clinical fields. However, synergistic dual-modal bioimaging that utilizes a new generation of upconversion nanoprobes is still limited. In addition, investigations concentrated on in vivo biodistribution of these nanoprobes may contribute to diagnosis and treatment, but long-term in vivo tracking based on these nanoprobes is rarely reported. In this work, water-soluble NaLuF4: Yb/Er nanophosphors were prepared through modified one-pot simultaneous synthesis and surface modification method. Owing to the outstanding upconverting emissions and large X-ray absorption coefficient/K-edge value of Lu and doped Yb ions, the obtained nanoprobes were successfully used as luminescent nanoprobes and X-ray contrast agents for in vivo synergistic upconversion luminescence and X-ray bioimaging. The in vivo biodistribution of these nanoprobes were observed, and the results based on long-term tracking reveal that the as-prepared nanoprobes first aggregated in the lung of the mouse, transferred to the liver, and finally moved to the spleen.
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China; Faculty of Materials, Optoelectronics and Physics, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Materials and Application Technology (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China.
authors.forename: Zhigao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Yaru
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Tianmei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China; Faculty of Materials, Optoelectronics and Physics, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Materials and Application Technology (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China.
authors.forename: Haibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China; Faculty of Materials, Optoelectronics and Physics, Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Materials and Application Technology (Ministry of Education), Xiangtan University, Xiangtan 411105, China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Hongrong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Physics and Information Science and Key Laboratory of Low-dimensional Quantum Structures and Quantum Control of the Ministry of Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, Hunan, China. Electronic address: songjunz@hunnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Songjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004871:Erbium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005459:Fluorides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D049449:Luminescence; D008187:Lutetium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051379:Mice; D061848:Optical Imaging; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011859:Radiography; D014965:X-Rays; D015018:Ytterbium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D008187:Lutetium; D004871:Erbium; D015018:Ytterbium; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: Biodistribution; Long-lasting real-time tracking; Synergistic in vivo fluorescence and X-ray bioimaging; Upconversion nanophosphors