title: Passive tumor targeting and imaging by using mercaptosuccinic acid-coated near-infrared quantum dots.
abstract: In this paper, we demonstrate the preparation of monodispersed quantum dots (QDs) as near-infrared (NIR) optical probes for in vivo pancreatic cancer targeting and imaging. The design of these luminescent probes involves functionalizing NIR QDs with ligand mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA), which targets the tumor site by enhanced permeability and retention effect. The colloidal and optical stability of the QDs can be maintained for >1 week. In vivo optical imaging studies in nude mice bearing pancreatic tumor show that the probes accumulate at tumor sites for >2.5 hours following intravenous injection of the functionalized NIR QDs. Tumor-labeling studies showed no evidence of harmful effects on the treated animals, even at a dose as high a ~50 mg/kg. These results demonstrate that the engineered MSA-functionalized QDs can serve as a diagnostic platform for early detection of cancer, as well as in image-guided precise surgical resection of tumors.
authors.affiliation: The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology and Research Institute of Uropoiesis and Reproduction, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guimiao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: The Engineering Lab of Synthetic Biology and Research Institute of Uropoiesis and Reproduction, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaomei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ken-Tye
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013870:Thiomalates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D049408:Luminescent Agents; D013870:Thiomalates; C046062:2-thiomalic acid
keywords: QDs; mercaptosuccinic acid; near-infrared; pancreatic cancer; tumor targeting