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Gold nanoprisms as a hybrid in vivo cancer theranostic platform for in situ photoacoustic imaging, angiography, and localized hyperthermia

Nano Research volume 9, pages 1043–1056 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

The development of high-resolution nanosized photoacoustic contrast agents is an exciting yet challenging technological advance. Herein, antibody (breast cancer-associated antigen 1 (Brcaa1) monoclonal antibody)- and peptide (RGD)-functionalized gold nanoprisms (AuNprs) were used as a combinatorial methodology for in situ photoacoustic imaging, angiography, and localized hyperthermia using orthotopic and subcutaneous murine gastric carcinoma models. RGD-conjugated PEGylated AuNprs are available for tumor angiography, and Brcaa1 monoclonal antibody-conjugated PEGylated AuNprs are used for targeting and for in situ imaging of gastric carcinoma in orthotopic tumor models. In situ photoacoustic imaging allowed for anatomical and functional imaging at the tumor site. In vivo tumor angiography imaging showed enhancement of the photoacoustic signal in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, photoacoustic imaging demonstrated that tumor vessels were clearly damaged after localized hyperthermia. This is the first proof-of-concept using two AuNprs probes as highly sensitive contrasts and therapeutic agents for in situ tumor detection and inhibition. These smart antibody/peptide AuNprs can be used as an efficient nanotheranostic platform for in vivo tumor detection with high sensitivity, as well as for tumor targeting therapy, which, with a single-dose injection, results in tumor size reduction and increases mice survival after localized hyperthermia treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, National Center for Translational Medicine, Collaborative Innovational Center for System Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Chenchen Bao, Fei Pan, Chao Li, Chunlei Zhang, Shujing Liang, Jesus M. de la Fuente & Daxiang Cui

  2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Harvard-MIT Division for Health Sciences and Technology, E25-449, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

    João Conde

  3. School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, E1 4NS, London, UK

    João Conde

  4. School of Food Science and Environmental Health, College of Science and Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Camden Row, 4, Dublin, Ireland

    Furong Tian

  5. Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, 50018, Spain

    Jesus M. de la Fuente

Authors
  1. Chenchen Bao
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  2. João Conde
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  3. Fei Pan
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  4. Chao Li
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  5. Chunlei Zhang
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  6. Furong Tian
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  7. Shujing Liang
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  8. Jesus M. de la Fuente
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  9. Daxiang Cui
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Correspondence to Daxiang Cui.

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Bao, C., Conde, J., Pan, F. et al. Gold nanoprisms as a hybrid in vivo cancer theranostic platform for in situ photoacoustic imaging, angiography, and localized hyperthermia. Nano Res. 9, 1043–1056 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-0996-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-0996-y

Keywords

  • gold nanoprisms
  • in situ gastric cancer
  • photoacoustic imaging
  • photothermal therapy