title: Erythrocyte-derived nano-probes functionalized with antibodies for targeted near infrared fluorescence imaging of cancer cells.
abstract: Constructs derived from mammalian cells are emerging as a new generation of nano-scale platforms for clinical imaging applications. Herein, we report successful engineering of hybrid nano-structures composed of erythrocyte-derived membranes doped with FDA-approved near infrared (NIR) chromophore, indocyanine green (ICG), and surface-functionalized with antibodies to achieve molecular targeting. We demonstrate that these constructs can be used for targeted imaging of cancer cells in vitro. These erythrocyte-derived optical nano-probes may provide a potential platform for clinical translation, and enable molecular imaging of cancer biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Jenny T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Mac
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nuñez
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Yadir A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Valentine I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Vullev
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Bahman
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anvari
keywords: (110.3080) Infrared imaging; (160.1435) Biomaterials; (160.4236) Nanomaterials; (170.2520) Fluorescence microscopy; (170.3880) Medical and biological imaging