Albumin-based nanoparticles loaded with hydrophobic gadolinium chelates as T1-T2dual-mode contrast agents for accurate liver tumor imaging.
Magnetic resonance contrast agents with T1-T2dual mode contrast capability have attracted considerable interest because they offer complementary and synergistic diagnostic information, leading to high imaging sensitivity and accurate diagnosis. Here, we reported a facile strategy to construct albumin based nanoparticles loaded with hydrophobic gadolinium chelates by hydrophobic interaction for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We synthesized a glycyrrhetinic acid-containing Gd-DOTA derivative (GGD) and loaded GGD molecules into BSA nanoparticles to form GGD-BSA nanoparticles (GGD-BSA NPs). The large size and porous structure endow GGD-BSA NPs with geometrical confinement, which restricts the tumbling of GGD and the diffusion of surrounding water molecules. As a result, GGD-BSA NPs exhibit ultrahigh T1and T2relaxivities, which are approximately 8-fold higher than those of gadolinium-based clinical contrast agents at 0.5 T. Besides, due to the intrinsic properties of their components, GGD-BSA NPs show good biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, which warrants their great potential in clinical translation. Furthermore, GGD-BSA NPs show remarkable sensitivity in noninvasive detection of liver tumors by self-confirmed T1-T2dual-mode contrast-enhanced MRI. All of these merits make GGD-BSA NPs a potential candidate for fruitful biomedical and preclinical applications.
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, The MOE Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China. jhgao@xmu.edu.cn.
Lirong
L
Wang
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, The MOE Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China. jhgao@xmu.edu.cn.
Hongyu
H
Lin
Department of Electronic Science and Fujian Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Lingceng
L
Ma
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, China.
Jianbin
J
Jin
National Engineering Research Centre for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
Taipeng
T
Shen
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, The MOE Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China. jhgao@xmu.edu.cn.
Ruixue
R
Wei
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361004, China.
Xiaomin
X
Wang
National Engineering Research Centre for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China.
Hua
H
Ai
Department of Electronic Science and Fujian Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
Zhong
Z
Chen
State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, The MOE Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, The Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province and Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China. jhgao@xmu.edu.cn.
Jinhao
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3215-7013
J
Gao
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D053758:Nanoparticles; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells
D003287:Contrast Media; D005682:Gadolinium