Xiao X, Cai H, Huang Q, Wang B, Wang X, Luo Q, Li Y, Zhang H, Gong Q, Ma X, Gu Z, Luo K. Polymeric dual-modal imaging nanoprobe with two-photon aggregation-induced emission for fluorescence imaging and gadolinium-chelation for magnetic resonance imaging.
Bioact Mater 2023;
19:538-549. [PMID:
35600977 PMCID:
PMC9096269 DOI:
10.1016/j.bioactmat.2022.04.026]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoprobes that offer both fluorescence imaging (FI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide supplementary information and hold synergistic advantages. However, synthesis of such dual-modality imaging probes that simultaneously exhibit tunability of functional groups, high stability, great biocompatibility and desired dual-modality imaging results remains challenging. In this study, we used an amphiphilic block polymer from (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA) and N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) derivatives as a carrier to conjugate a MR contrast agent, Gd-DOTA, and a two-photon fluorophore with an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect, TPBP, to construct a MR/two-photon fluorescence dual-modality contrast agent, Gd-DOTA-TPBP. Incorporation of gadolinium in the hydrophilic chain segment of the OEGMA-based carrier resulted in a high r1 value for Gd-DOTA-TPBP, revealing a great MR imaging resolution. The contrast agent specifically accumulated in the tumor region, allowing a long enhancement duration for vascular and tumor contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Meanwhile, coupling TPBP with AIE properties to the hydrophobic chain segment of the carrier not only improved its water solubility and reduced its cytotoxicity, but also significantly enhanced its imaging performance in an aqueous phase. Gd-DOTA-TPBP was also demonstrated to act as an excellent fluorescence probe for two-photon-excited bioimaging with higher resolution and greater sensitivity than MRI. Since high-resolution, complementary MRI/FI dual-modal images were acquired at both cellular and tissue levels in tumor-bearing mice after application of Gd-DOTA-TPBP, it has great potential in the early phase of disease diagnosis.
A highly stable and biocompatibility MR/two-photon AIE fluorescent dual-modality imaging probe Gd-DOTA-TPBP is prepared.
Gd-DOTA and TPBP are conjugated to the hydrophilic and hydrophobic chain of the amphiphilic block polymer, respectively.
The different coupling sites of Gd-DOTA and TPBP promote dual-modality imaging effects of Gd-DOTA-TPBP after self-assembly.
The dual-modality images with Gd-DOTA-TPBP have obtained complementary information at the cellular and tissue level in vivo.
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