title: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with fluorescent and MRI reporters for the visualization of murine tumors overexpressing αvβ3 receptors.
abstract: A novel fluorescein/Gd-DOTAGA containing nanoprobe for the visualization of tumors by optical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is reported herein. It is based on the functionalization of the surface of small mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) (∼30 nm) with the arginine-glycine-aspartic (RGD) moieties, which are known to target αvβ3 integrin receptors overexpressed in several tumor cells. The obtained nanoprobe (Gd-MSNs-RGD) displays good stability, tolerability and high relaxivity (37.6 mM(-1) s(-1) at 21.5 MHz). After a preliminary evaluation of their cytotoxicity and targeting capability toward U87MG cells by in vitro fluorescence and MR imaging, the nanoprobes were tested in vivo by T1-weighted MR imaging of xenografted murine tumor models. The obtained results demonstrated that the Gd-MSNs-RGD nanoprobes are good reporters both in vitro and in vivo for the MR-visualization of tumor cells overexpressing αvβ3 integrin receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gianolio
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boffa
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Enza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Di Gregorio
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Rachele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stefania
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orio
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza, 52, Torino, 10126, Italy. silvio.aime@unito.it.
authors.forename: Silvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aime
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000737:chemistry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D064593:Heterografts; D006801:Humans; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3 / Q000235:genetics*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D016062:Porosity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D039302:Integrin alphaVbeta3; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D005682:Gadolinium