title: Tracking Cancer Metastasis In Vivo by Using an Iridium-Based Hypoxia-Activated Optical Oxygen Nanosensor.
abstract: We have developed a nanosensor for tracking cancer metastasis by noninvasive real-time whole-body optical imaging. The nanosensor is prepared by the formation of co-micelles from a poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-conjugated iridium(III) complex (Ir-PVP) and poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PCL-PVP). The near-infrared phosphorescence emission of the nanosensor could be selectively activated in the hypoxic microenvironment induced by cancer cells. The detection ability of the nanosensor was examined in cells and different animal models. After intravenous injection, the nanosensor can be effectively delivered to the lung and lymph node, and cancer cell metastasis through bloodstream or lymphatics can be quickly detected with high signal-to-background ratio by whole-body imaging and organ imaging. Moreover, the nanosensor exhibits good biocompatibility both in vitro and in vivo. The nanosensor is believed to be a powerful tool for the diagnosis of cancer metastasis.
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Xianchuang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Jialiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China).
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, and Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093 (P. R. China). jiangx@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007495:Iridium / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
chemical_list: D007495:Iridium
keywords: cancer metastasis; diagnostics; hypoxia; nanosensors; optical imaging