title: Low-bandgap biophotonic nanoblend: a platform for systemic disease targeting and functional imaging.
abstract: Photonic nanomaterials have found wide applications in theranostics. We introduce here a design of all-organic photonic nanoparticles, different from traditional ones, in which we utilize nanoblend of a low-bandgap π-conjugated polymer (LB-CP) and polystyrene as the photonic core, surrounded by an FDA-approved polymeric surfactant. This design provides capability for efficient deep tissue imaging using highly penetrating near-infrared (NIR) excitation and emission of LB-CP and also allows us to incorporate a NIR phosphorescent oxygen-sensitive dye in the core to serve as a dual-emissive probe for hypoxia imaging. These biophotonic nanoblend (BNB) particles (∼20 nm in diameter) show facile blood circulation, efficient disease targeting and minimal liver filtration as well as sustained renal excretion in the intravenously administered mouse models, as noninvasively visualized by the NIR emission signals. In diseased mouse models, pathological tissue deoxygenation at hypoxic sites was successfully detected with ratiometric spectral information. We also show that our nanoformulation exhibits no apparent toxicity, thus serving as a versatile biophotonics platform for diagnostic imaging.
authors.affiliation: Center for Theragnosis, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 39-1, Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea; Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemungu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Korea University, 5 Anam-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min Ju
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Center for Theragnosis, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 39-1, Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Oug Jae
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Cheong
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemungu, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA.
authors.forename: Tymish Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ohulchanskyy
authors.affiliation: Center for Theragnosis, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 39-1, Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sangyoup
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Korea University, 5 Anam-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dhchoi8803@korea.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Dong Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA. Electronic address: pnprasad@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: Paras N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Center for Theragnosis, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), 39-1, Hawolgok-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sehoonkim@kist.re.kr.
authors.forename: Sehoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers
keywords: Biosensors; Hypoxia; Imaging agents; Low-bandgap conjugated polymers; Nanoparticles