Dual-Modality Micellar Nanoprobes for In Vivo Imaging of Blood Vessel Formation in Tumors

Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are using nanoparticles and MRI to image angiogenesis live in animal models. The new nanoparticles are made of fluorescent superparamagnetic polymeric micelles (FSPPM) with a αvβ3 peptide which, when injected into a tumor and then MRI imaged, light up the vessels on the video screen.

Together, the research team relied on nanotechnology and established super paramagnetic micellar nanoprobes (50–70 nm in diameter) with greatly improved MRI sensitivity over conventional small molecular agents. The nanoprobe surface was functionalized with a cyclic peptide that can specifically bind to αvβ3 integrins that are overexpressed on the tumor endothelial cells. The nanoprobes also had a fluorescent moiety used for the validation of targeted delivery to the tumor endothelial cells. Studies in cancer cells validated the increased uptake of nanoprobes compared with non-targeted nanoparticles. In collaboration with Dr Masaya Takahashi and co-workers in the Advanced Imaging Research Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center, the research team employed a three-dimensional high-resolution acquisition method to visualize the accumulation of the micelle nanoprobes in tumors.
In preclinical animal tumor models, MR imaging of the targeted contrast probes yielded vascularized network structures in 3D tumor images. The enhanced visualization allowed for a more accurate quantification of tumor angiogenesis. The results showed significant increase of contrast specificity of angiogenic vessels by the targeted nanoprobes over non-targeted micelles. These targeted nanoprobes may provide a useful contrast probe design for the clinical diagnosis of tumor angiogenesis.

Link: Noninvasive MR imaging of blood vessel growth in tumors using nanosized contrast agents…
Abstract in Experimental Biology and Medicine: In vivo angiogenesis imaging of solid tumors by αvβ3-targeted, dual-modality micellar nanoprobes
Image: Wellcome Images…