title: Multimodal imaging probe for targeting cancer cells using uMUC-1 aptamer.
abstract: For adequate cancer therapy, newer imaging modalities with more specific ligands for unique targets are crucial. Underglycosylated mucin-1 (uMUC-1) antigen is an early marker of tumor development and is widely overexpressed on most tumors. A combination of nanotechnology with optical, radionuclide, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has great potential to improve cancer diagnosis and therapy. In this study, a multimodal nanoparticle imaging system was developed that can be used for optical, MR and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles surrounded by fluorescent rhodamine (designated MF) within a silica shell matrix were conjugated with an aptamer targeting uMUC-1 (designated MF-uMUC-1) and further labeled by (68)Ga (designated MFR-uMUC-1) with the help of a p-SCN-bn-NOTA chelating agent, resulting in single multimodal nanoparticles. The resultant nanoparticles are spherical and monodispersed, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. The MFR-uMUC-1 nanoparticle showed specific and dose-dependent fluorescent, radioisotope and MR signals targeting BT-20 cells expressing uMUC-1. In vivo targeting and multimodal imaging in tumor-bearing nude mice also showed great specificity for targeting cancers with MFR-uMUC-1. The MFR-uMUC-1 probe could be used as a single multimodal probe to visualize cancer cells by means of optical, radionuclide and MR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won Jun
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bio-Medical Convergence, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do 270-701, Republic of Korea; Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Metropolitan City 404-834, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jonghwan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bio-Medical Convergence, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do 270-701, Republic of Korea; Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Metropolitan City 404-834, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Seung
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bio-Medical Convergence, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do 270-701, Republic of Korea; Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Metropolitan City 404-834, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sujeong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Al-Jeraisy DNA Research Chair, Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Nucleic Acids Research, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City for Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Alexandria, Egypt.
authors.forename: Bahy A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Khedhairy
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bio-Medical Convergence, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do 270-701, Republic of Korea; Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Metropolitan City 404-834, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyejung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Bio-Medical Convergence, College of Medicine, Catholic Kwandong University, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do 270-701, Republic of Korea; Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary's Hospital, Incheon Metropolitan City 404-834, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimsoonhag@empal.com.
authors.forename: Soonhag
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D018396:Mucin-1
keywords: Aptamer; Cancer; Multimodal imaging; Nanoparticle; uMUC-1