Albumin-based nanoparticles loaded with hydrophobic gadolinium chelates as T1-T2 dual-mode contrast agents for accurate liver tumor imaging

Nanoscale. 2017 Mar 30;9(13):4516-4523. doi: 10.1039/c7nr01134b.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance contrast agents with T1-T2 dual 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 T1 and T2 relaxivities, 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-T2 dual-mode contrast-enhanced MRI. All of these merits make GGD-BSA NPs a potential candidate for fruitful biomedical and preclinical applications.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Contrast Media*
  • Gadolinium*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Nanoparticles*
  • RAW 264.7 Cells

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Gadolinium