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Synchrotron microangiography studies of angiogenesis in mice with microemulsions and gold nanoparticles

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Abstract

We present an effective solution for the problem of contrast enhancement in phase-contrast microangiography, with the specific objective of visualising small (<8 µm) vessels in tumor-related microangiogenesis. Different hydrophilic and hydrophobic contrast agents were explored in this context. We found that an emulsified version of the hydrophobic contrast agents Lipiodol® provides the best contrast and minimal distortion of the circulation and vessel structure. Such emulsions are reasonably biocompatible and, with sizes of 0 ± 0.8 µm, sufficient to diffuse to the smallest vessel and still provide reasonable contrast. We also explored the use of Au nanoparticle colloids that could be used not only to enhance contrast but also for interesting applications in nanomedicine. Both the Lipiodol microemulsions and Au nanoparticle colloids can be conjugated with medicines or cell specific labeling agents and their small size can allow the study of the diffusion of contrast agents through the vessel leakage. This enables direct imaging of drug delivery which is important for cancer treatment.

 

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by National Science and Technology Program for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, the Thematic Research Project of Academia Sinica, the Biomedical Nano-Imaging Core Facility at National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (Taiwan), the Blonc Project of ANR-NSC (French National Research Agency and Taiwan National Science Council, the Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM) in Lausanne, partially funded by the Leenaards and Jeantet foundations and by the Swiss Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique and by the EPFL.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, 115, Taiwan, China

    Chia-Chi Chien, C. H. Wang, C. L. Wang, E. R. Li, K. H. Lee & Y. Hwu

  2. Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, China

    Chia-Chi Chien & Y. Hwu

  3. Institute of Optoelectronic Sciences, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202, Taiwan, China

    Y. Hwu

  4. Hsinchu Mackay Memorial Hospital, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, China

    Chien-Yi Lin & Shing-Jyh Chang

  5. Center for Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 350, Taiwan, China

    C. S. Yang

  6. Université de Bordeaux 2, CNRS UMR 5248, CBMN, B8, Avenue des faculties, 33405, Talence-Cedex, France

    Cyril Petibois

  7. Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    G. Margaritondo

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  1. Chia-Chi Chien
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  2. C. H. Wang
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  3. C. L. Wang
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  4. E. R. Li
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  5. K. H. Lee
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  6. Y. Hwu
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  7. Chien-Yi Lin
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  8. Shing-Jyh Chang
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  9. C. S. Yang
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  10. Cyril Petibois
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  11. G. Margaritondo
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Correspondence to Y. Hwu.

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Chien, CC., Wang, C.H., Wang, C.L. et al. Synchrotron microangiography studies of angiogenesis in mice with microemulsions and gold nanoparticles. Anal Bioanal Chem 397, 2109–2116 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3775-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-3775-8

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