Multimodal imaging probe for targeting cancer cells using uMUC-1 aptamer

Journal Article

Kim, Won Jun Kang, Jonghwan Lee, Yong Seung Lee, Sujeong Cho, Ali, B.A., Abdulaziz A Al-Khedhairy, Hyejung Heo, Soonhag . 2015

• Publication Work Type: Research Article
• Magazine \ Newspaper: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces
• Volume Number: 136
• Pages: 134-140

Publication Abstract

tFor adequate cancer therapy, newer imaging modalities with more specific ligands for unique targetsare crucial. Underglycosylated mucin-1 (uMUC-1) antigen is an early marker of tumor development andis widely overexpressed on most tumors. A combination of nanotechnology with optical, radionuclide,and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has great potential to improve cancer diagnosis and therapy. Inthis study, a multimodal nanoparticle imaging system was developed that can be used for optical, MRand positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Cobalt ferrite magnetic nanoparticles surrounded byfluorescent rhodamine (designated MF) within a silica shell matrix were conjugated with an aptamertargeting uMUC-1 (designated MF-uMUC-1) and further labeled by68Ga (designated MFR-uMUC-1) withthe help of a p-SCN-bn-NOTA chelating agent, resulting in single multimodal nanoparticles. The resultantnanoparticles are spherical and monodispersed, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. TheMFR-uMUC-1 nanoparticle showed specific and dose-dependent fluorescent, radioisotope and MR signalstargeting BT-20 cells expressing uMUC-1. In vivo targeting and multimodal imaging in tumor-bearingnude mice also showed great specificity for targeting cancers with MFR-uMUC-1. The MFR-uMUC-1 probecould be used as a single multimodal probe to visualize cancer cells by means of optical, radionuclide andMR imaging.