Nanoprobe for optical molecular imaging

POLY 409

Shiying Zheng, shiying.zheng@kodak.com1, Ruizheng Wang1, Alex Qiao1, Zhi Yang2, Juri Gelovani3, and Chun Li3. (1) Research Laboratories, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY 14650, (2) Department of Experimental Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Department of Experimental Diagnostic Imaging, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030
Near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) dyes are intensively being developed for optical molecular imaging applications. This work focuses on the design, synthesis and application of a nanoparticle-based nanoprobe with a NIRF Cy-7-like dye chemically bonded in polymeric micelles composed of a crosslinked hydrophobic core and a hydrophilic shell with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Pharmacokinetic analysis, ex vivo biodistribution and imaging approaches revealed that nanoparticles with an average diameter of 24 nm exhibited prolonged blood half-life (t1/2, á = 1.25 hr. t1/2, b = 46.18 hr) and moderate uptakes in organs of the mononuclear phagocytic system. Dual modality NIRF optical imaging and gamma scintigraphy of mice bearing subcutaneously inoculated human MDA-MB468 breast tumor clearly revealed accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumors over a period of 5 days after intravenous injection.