title: Dendrimer-Assisted Formation of Fe3O4/Au Nanocomposite Particles for Targeted Dual Mode CT/MR Imaging of Tumors.
abstract: A unique dendrimer-assisted approach is reported to create Fe3O4/Au nanocomposite particles (NCPs) for targeted dual mode computed tomography/magnetic resonance (CT/MR) imaging of tumors. In this approach, preformed Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) are assembled with multilayers of poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA)/poly(L-lysine)/PGA/folic acid (FA)-modified dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles via a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The interlayers are crosslinked via 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide chemistry, the assembled Au core NPs are then used as seed particles for subsequent seed-mediated growth of Au shells via iterative Au salt reduction process, and subsequent acetylation of the remaining amines of dendrimers leads to the formation of Fe3O4/Au(n.)Ac-FA NCPs with a tunable molar ratio of Au/Fe3O4. It is shown that the Fe3O4/Au(n.)Ac-FA NCPs at an optimized Au/Fe3O4 molar ratio of 2.02 display a relatively high R2 relaxivity (92.67 × 10(-3) M(-1) s(-1)) and good X-ray attenuation property, and are cytocompatible and hemocompatible in the given concentration range. Importantly, with the FA-mediated targeting, the Fe3O4/Au(n.)Ac-FA NCPs are able to be specifically uptaken by cancer cells overexpressing FA receptors, and be used as an efficient nanoprobe for targeted dual mode CT/MR imaging of a xenografted tumor model. With the versatile dendrimer chemistry, the developed Fe3O4/Au NCPs may be differently functionalized, thereby providing a unique platform for diagnosis and therapy of different biological systems.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hongdong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200080, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Kangan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jingchao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shihui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Mingwu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200080, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Linfeng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shanghai General Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200080, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Guixiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.|College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiangyang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004705:Endocytosis; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008819:Mice, Nude; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010316:Particle Size; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D050091:Dendrimers; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D006046:Gold
keywords: CT imaging; MR imaging; dendrimers; gold nanoparticles; imaging; iron oxide nanoparticles