Soft nanomaterial-based targeting polymersomes for near-infrared fluorescence multispectral in vivo imaging

Nanoscale. 2012 Nov 21;4(22):7097-105. doi: 10.1039/c2nr32047a.

Abstract

We report here the soft nanomaterial-based targeting polymersomes for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging to carry out in vivo tumor detection. Two polymersome-based NIR fluorescent probes were prepared through the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers, poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) (PEO-b-PBD). Each of them was encapsulated with distinct hydrophobic near-infrared dyes (DiD and DiR) and modified with different targeting ligands (anti-CEA antibody and anti-EGFR antibody), respectively. After simultaneous injection of these two probes into the tumor-bearing mice via tail vein, multispectral near-infrared fluorescence images were obtained. The results indicate that both probes are successfully directed to the tumor foci, where two distinguishable fluorescent signals were detected through the unmixed fluorescence images. By taking advantage of two targeting polymersome-based probes with distinct fluorescent features, the proposed multispectral near-infrared fluorescence imaging method can greatly improve the specificity and accuracy for in vivo tumor detection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies / chemistry
  • Antibodies / immunology
  • Butadienes / chemistry*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / immunology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • ErbB Receptors / immunology
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / toxicity
  • Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Polyethylene / chemistry*
  • Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Butadienes
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • poly(1,2-butadiene-b-ethylene oxide)
  • Polyethylene
  • ErbB Receptors