title: A Biocompatible Reconstituted High-Density Lipoprotein Nano-System as a Probe for Lung Cancer Detection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early detection of cancer is critical and is expected to contribute significantly to the success of cancer therapy and improvement of patient survival rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A biocompatible, reconstituted, high-density lipoprotein (rHDL)-based nano-system containing calcium carbonate and near-infrared fluorescence dye (NIRF), methylene blue (MB), was fabricated and characterized by particle size, zeta potential, and morphology observation. The safety profile was confirmed by bovine serum albumin (BSA) challenge assay, hemolysis test, MTT assay, and in vivo long-term toxicity assay. The tumor targetability was assessed by cellular uptake, competitive inhibition experiments, and in vivo imaging assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The self-assembled rHDL/MB/CCPs exhibited desirable and homogenous particle size, neutral surface charges, high bovine serum albumin stability, low hemolytic activity, and negligible cytotoxicity in vitro. The results obtained from confocal scanning laser microscopy and flow cytometry indicated that SR-BI coating exerted tumor-targeting function, which induced high and specific cellular uptake of rHDL/MB/CCPs. In vivo investigation in an A549 tumor xenografts-bearing mouse model revealed that rHDL/MB/CCPs possessed strong tumor targetability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rHDL/MB/CCPs could be a safe tumor-targeting probe for cancer detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Hongxiu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Hongguang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, College of Physics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Hongwang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Dedong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000737:chemistry*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010316:Particle Size; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D011506:Proteins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine