Cancer Selective Turn-On Fluorescence Imaging Using a Biopolymeric Nanocarrier

Biomacromolecules. 2019 Feb 11;20(2):1068-1076. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01690. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Abstract

Most nanoparticle-based bioresearch for clinical applications is unable to overcome the clinical barriers of efficacy (e.g., sensitivity and selectivity), safety for human use, and scalability for mass-production processes. Here, we proposed a promising concept of using a biocompatible nanocarrier that delivers natural fluorescent precursors into cancerous cells. The nanocarrier is a biopolymeric nanoparticle that can be easily loaded with fluorescent precursors to form a fluorescent moiety via a biosynthesis pathway. Once delivered into cancerous cells, the nanocarriers are selectively turned on and distinctively fluoresce upon excitation. We, therefore, demonstrated the efficacy of the selective turn-on fluorescence of the nanocarriers in in vitro coculture models and in vivo tumor-bearing models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3 Cells
  • Animals
  • Biocompatible Materials / metabolism*
  • Biosynthetic Pathways / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Drug Carriers / metabolism*
  • Fluorescence
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biocompatible Materials
  • Drug Carriers