Targeted nanodiamonds as phenotype-specific photoacoustic contrast agents for breast cancer.
The aim is to develop irradiated nanodiamonds (INDs) as a molecularly targeted contrast agent for high-resolution and phenotype-specific detection of breast cancer with photoacoustic (PA) imaging. The surface of acid treated radiation-damaged nanodiamonds was grafted with PEG to improve its stability and circulation time in blood, followed by conjugation to an anti-HER2 peptide with a final nanoparticle size of approximately 92 nm. Immunocompetent mice bearing orthotopic HER2-positive or negative tumors were administered INDs and PA imaged using an 820-nm near-infrared laser. PA images demonstrated that INDs accumulate in tumors and completely delineated the entire tumor within 10 h. HER2 targeting significantly enhanced imaging of HER2-positive tumors. Pathological examination demonstrated INDs are nontoxic. PA technology is adaptable to low-cost bedside medicine, and with new contrast agents described herein, PA can achieve high-resolution (sub-mm) and phenotype-specific monitoring of cancer growth.
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA.
Ti
T
Zhang
Huizhong
H
Cui
Chia-Yi
CY
Fang
Kun
K
Cheng
Xinmai
X
Yang
Huan-Cheng
HC
Chang
M Laird
ML
Forrest
D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D058612:Nanodiamonds; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis
D003287:Contrast Media; D058612:Nanodiamonds; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases
HER2; breast cancer; contrast agent; nanodiamond; photoacoustic imaging