Multifunctional nanoprobe to enhance the utility of optical based imaging techniques

Several imaging modalities such as optical coherence tomography, photothermal, photoacoustic and magnetic resonance imaging, are sensitive to different physical properties (i.e. scattering, absorption and magnetic) that can provide contrast within biological tissues. Usually exogenous agents are designed with specific properties to provide contrast for these imaging methods. In nano-biotechnology there is a need to combine several of these properties into a single contrast agent. This multifunctional contrast agent can then be used by various imaging techniques simultaneously or can be used to develop new imaging modalities. We reported and characterized a multifunctional nanoparticle, made from gold nanoshells, which exhibits scattering, photothermal, photoacoustic, and magnetic properties.     

Fluorescence-surface enhanced Raman scattering co-functionalized gold nanorods as near-infrared probes for purely optical in vivo imaging

Gold nanorods (GNRs) have been widely used for bio-imaging. However, GNRs assisted optical in vivo deep tissue imaging is severely restricted due to signal attenuation, low contrast, complex process or low real-timing. To overcome these problems, we functionalized GNRs with both near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and utilized these co-functionalized GNRs for purely optical in vivo imaging of live mice. Our proposed technology has the combined advantages of high real-timing, high imaging contrast and deep detection ability. The distribution and excretion of intravenously injected GNRs in deep tissues of live mice were observed in vivo for the first time through purely optical imaging. We also demonstrated successfully in vivo biomedical applications of the co-functionalized GNRs to sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping and tumor targeting of mice. The present technology has great future potentials for disease diagnosis and clinical therapies.     

基于时域光声信号的谱分析技术及其在生物医学领域的应用

基于时域光声信号的谱分析技术是一种能够提供生物组织结构和功能信息的非侵入式检测技术,其结合了光学模态的高对比度和超声模态在深层组织中的高分辨率两重特性,可对不同波长光激发下的目标生物组织的光声信号数据集进行处理分析。相较于传统光谱检测,该技术不易受被测对象形状、形态的限制和光散射的影响,使其对较深层组织的检测仍具有较高灵敏度。相较于光声成像,该技术无需引入图像重建算法且专注于实现定量分析。综述时域光声信号的谱分析技术在生物组织、生物体液、生物呼出气体检测中的应用,介绍相关研究所采用的改进实验系统或不同信号处理方法,阐述该技术的研究进展与发展方向。     

Biomedical applications of photoacoustic imaging with exogenous contrast agents

Photoacoustic imaging is a biomedical imaging modality that provides functional information, and, with the help of exogenous contrast agents, cellular and molecular signatures of tissue. In this article, we review the biomedical applications of photoacoustic imaging assisted with exogenous contrast agents. Dyes, noble metal nanoparticles, and other constructs are contrast agents which absorb strongly in the near-infrared band of the optical spectrum and generate strong photoacoustic response. These contrast agents, which can be specifically targeted to molecules or cells, have been coupled with photoacoustic imaging for preclinical and clinical applications ranging from detection of cancer cells, sentinel lymph nodes, and micrometastasis to angiogenesis to characterization of atherosclerotic plaques. Multi-functional agents have also been developed, which can carry drugs or simultaneously provide contrast in multiple imaging modalities. Furthermore, contrast agents were used to guide and monitor the therapeutic procedures. Overall, photoacoustic imaging shows significant promise in its ability to assist in diagnosis, therapy planning, and monitoring of treatment outcome for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other pathologies.     

Indocyanine-green-embedded PEBBLEs as a contrast agent for photoacoustic imaging

Nanoparticles 100 nm in diameter containing indocyanine green (ICG) have been developed as a contrast agent for photoacoustic (PA) imaging based on (photonic explorers for biomedical use by biologically localized embedding PEBBLE) technology using organically modified silicate (ormosil) as a matrix. ICG is an FDA-approved dye with strong optical absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region, where light can penetrate deepest into biological tissue. A photoacoustic imaging system was used to study image contrast as a function of PEBBLE concentration in phantom objects. ICG-embedded ormosil PEBBLEs showed improved stability in aqueous solution compared with free ICG dye. The particles were conjugated with HER-2 antibody for breast cancer and prostate cancer cell targeting. Initial in vitro characterization shows high contrast and high efficiency for binding to prostate cancer cells. ICG can also be used as a photosensitizer (generating toxic oxygen by illumination) for photodynamic therapy. We have measured the photosensitization capability of ICG-embedded ormosil nanoparticles. This feature can be utilized to combine detection and therapeutic functions in a single agent.     

Photothermal cancer therapy and imaging based on gold nanorods

Gold nanorods (GNRs), which strongly absorb near-infrared (NIR) light, have shown great potential in fields of biomedical application. These include photothermal therapy, molecular imaging, biosensing, and gene delivery, especially for the treatment of diseased tissues such as cancer. These biomedical applications of GNRs arise from their various useful properties; photothermal (nanoheater) properties, efficient large scale synthesis, easy functionalization, and colloidal stability. In addition, GNRs do not decompose and have an enhanced scattering signal and tunable longitudinal plasmon absorption which allow them to be used as a stable contrast agent. Therefore, GNRs are also promising theranostic agents, combining both tumor diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we discuss the recent progress of in vitro and in vivo explorations of the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of GNRs as a component of cancer therapy.     

Non-invasive imaging of epileptic seizures in vivo using photoacoustic tomography

Non-invasive laser-induced photoacoustic tomography (PAT) is an emerging imaging modality that has the potential to image the dynamic function of the brain due to its unique ability of imaging biological tissues with high optical contrast and ultrasound resolution. Here we report the first application of our finite-element-based PAT for imaging of epileptic seizures in an animal model. In vivo photoacoustic images were obtained in rats with focal seizures induced by microinjection of bicuculline, a GABA(A) antagonist, into the neocortex. The seizure focus was accurately localized by PAT as confirmed with gold-standard electroencephalogram (EEG). Compared to the existing neuroimaging modalities, PAT not only has the unprecedented advantage of high spatial and temporal resolution in a single imaging modality, but also is portable and low in cost, making it possible to bring brain imaging to the bedside.     

Deep reflection-mode photoacoustic imaging of biological tissue

A reflection-mode photoacoustic (PA) imaging system was designed and built to image deep structures in biological tissues. We chose near-infrared laser pulses of 804-nm wavelength for PA excitation to achieve deep penetration. To minimize unwanted surface signals, we adopted dark-field ring-shaped illumination. This imaging system employing a 5-MHz spherically focused ultrasonic transducer provides penetration up to 38 mm in chicken breast tissue. At the 19-mm depth, the axial resolution is 144 microm and the transverse resolution is 560 microm. Internal organs of small animals were imaged clearly.     

cRGD-functionalized, DOX-conjugated, and ⁶⁴Cu-labeled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted anticancer drug delivery and PET/MR imaging

Multifunctional and water-soluble superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanocarriers were developed for targeted drug delivery and positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) dual-modality imaging of tumors with integrin α(v)β? expression. An anticancer drug was conjugated onto the PEGylated SPIO nanocarriers via pH-sensitive bonds. Tumor-targeting ligands, cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-d-Phe-Cys) (c(RGDfC)) peptides, and PET ??Cu chelators, macrocyclic 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-N, N', N″-triacetic acid (NOTA), were conjugated onto the distal ends of the PEG arms. The effectiveness of the SPIO nanocarriers as an MRI contrast agent was evaluated via an in vitro r? MRI relaxivity measurement. cRGD-conjugated SPIO nanocarriers exhibited a higher level of cellular uptake than cRGD-free ones in vitro. Moreover, cRGD-conjugated SPIO nanocarriers showed a much higher level of tumor accumulation than cRGD-free ones according to non-invasive and quantitative PET imaging, and ex vivo biodistribution studies. Thus, these SPIO nanocarriers demonstrated promising properties for combined targeted anticancer drug delivery and PET/MRI dual-modality imaging of tumors.     

Gold-nanorod contrast-enhanced photoacoustic micro-imaging of focused-ultrasound induced blood-brain-barrier opening in a rat model

In this study, we develop a novel photoacoustic imaging technique based on gold nanorods (AuNRs) for quantitatively monitoring focused-ultrasound (FUS) induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening in a rat model in vivo. This study takes advantage of the strong near-infrared absorption (peak at ≈ 800 nm) of AuNRs and the extravasation tendency from BBB opening foci due to their nano-scale size to passively label the BBB disruption area. Experimental results show that AuNR contrast-enhanced photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) successfully reveals the spatial distribution and temporal response of BBB disruption area in the rat brains. The quantitative measurement of contrast enhancement has potential to estimate the local concentration of AuNRs and even the dosage of therapeutic molecules when AuNRs are further used as nano-carrier for drug delivery or photothermal therapy. The photoacoustic results also provide complementary information to MRI, being helpful to discover more details about FUS induced BBB opening in small animal models.     

Multiscale photoacoustic microscopy of single-walled carbon nanotube-incorporated tissue engineering scaffolds

Three-dimensional polymeric scaffolds provide structural support and function as substrates for cells and bioactive molecules necessary for tissue regeneration. Noninvasive real-time imaging of scaffolds and/or the process of tissue formation within the scaffold remains a challenge. Microcomputed tomography, the widely used technique to characterize polymeric scaffolds, shows poor contrast for scaffolds immersed in biological fluids, thereby limiting its utilities under physiological conditions. In this article, multiscale photoacoustic microscopy (PAM), consisting of both acoustic-resolution PAM (AR-PAM) and optical-resolution PAM (OR-PAM), was employed to image and characterize single-walled carbon-nanotube (SWNT)-incorporated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer scaffolds immersed in biological buffer. SWNTs were incorporated to reinforce the mechanical properties of the scaffolds, and to enhance the photoacoustic signal from the scaffolds. By choosing excitation wavelengths of 570 and 638 nm, multiscale PAM could spectroscopically differentiate the photoacoustic signals generated from blood and from carbon-nanotube-incorporated scaffolds. OR-PAM, providing a fine lateral resolution of 2.6 μm with an adequate tissue penetration of 660 μm, successfully quantified the average porosity and pore size of the scaffolds to be 86.5%±1.2% and 153±15 μm in diameter, respectively. AR-PAM further extended the tissue penetration to 2 mm at the expense of lateral resolution (45 μm). Our results suggest that PAM is a promising tool for noninvasive real-time imaging and monitoring of tissue engineering scaffolds in vitro, and in vivo under physiological conditions.     

Prussian blue coated gold nanoparticles for simultaneous photoacoustic/CT bimodal imaging and photothermal ablation of cancer

The combination of CT imaging and photoacoustic (PA) imaging represents not only high resolution and ease of forming 3D visual image for locating tissues of interest, but also good soft tissue contrast and excellent high sensitivity, which is very beneficial to the precise guidance for photothermal therapy (PTT). The near infrared (NIR) absorbing Au nanostructures take advantages to operate as a CT contrast agent due to high absorption coefficient of X-ray and outstanding biocompatibility, but show obvious deficiency for PA imaging and PTT because of low photostability. Attacking this problem head on, the Au nanoparticles (NPs) were coated with Prussian blue (PB) which is a typical FDA-approved drug in clinic for safe and effective treatment of radioactive exposure. The obtained core/shell NPs of Au@PB NPs of 17.8 ± 2.3 nm were found to be an excellent photoabsorbing agent for both PTT and PA imaging due to high photostability and high molar extinction coefficient in NIR region. Their gold core of 9.1 ± 0.64 nm ensured a remarkable contrast enhancement for CT imaging. Through a one-time treatment of NIR laser irradiation after intravenous injection of Au@PB NPs, 100 mm³ sized tumors in nude mice could be completely ablated without recurrence. Such versatile nanoparticles integrating effective cancer diagnosis with noninvasive therapy might bring opportunities to future cancer therapy.     

Boundary conditions in photoacoustic tomography and image reconstruction

Recently, the field of photoacoustic tomography has experienced considerable growth. Although several commercially available pure optical imaging modalities, including confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, and optical coherence tomography, have been highly successful, none of these technologies can penetrate beyond approximately 1 mm into scattering biological tissues because all of them are based on ballistic and quasiballistic photons. Consequently, heretofore there has been a void in high-resolution optical imaging beyond this depth limit. Photoacoustic tomography has filled this void by combining high ultrasonic resolution and strong optical contrast in a single modality. However, it has been assumed in reconstruction of photoacoustic tomography until now that ultrasound propagates in a boundary-free infinite medium. We present the boundary conditions that must be considered in certain imaging configurations; the associated inverse solutions for image reconstruction are provided and validated by numerical simulation and experiment. Partial planar, cylindrical, and spherical detection configurations with a planar boundary are covered, where the boundary can be either hard or soft. Analogously to the method of images of sources, which is commonly used in forward problems, the ultrasonic detectors are imaged about the boundary to satisfy the boundary condition in the inverse problem.     

99mTc-反义寡聚核苷酸DNA肿瘤显像的实验研究

拟探讨放射性标记反义寡聚核苷酸(Antisense oligonucleotide,ASON)DNA在荷瘤裸鼠体内显像的可行性。采用两种不同肿瘤细胞系KB-G2和KB-31,并肿瘤内注射的方法;设立ASON的对照正义寡聚核苷酸(Sense oligonucleotide,SON);用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳鉴定所用经MAG3偶联的寡聚核苷酸的杂交活性;完成99mTc-MAG3-ASON和99mTc-MAG3-SON DNA肿瘤内注射后在荷瘤裸鼠体内的显像及其生物分布研究。经MAG3偶联的寡聚核苷酸与天然寡聚核苷酸具有相同的杂交活性。在荷KB-G2瘤裸鼠肿瘤内,99mTc-MAG3-ASON DNA的分布明显高于其对照99mTc-MAG3-SON DNA的分布(14.7vs8.5%ID/g)。但在荷KB-31瘤裸鼠肿瘤内,两者的分布无显著性差异(8.6vs4.3%ID/g)。全身显像显示99mTc-MAG3-ASON DNA较其对照正义DNA寡聚核苷酸在荷KB-G2瘤裸鼠肿瘤内的靶向分布增高,但在荷KB-31瘤裸鼠肿瘤内的靶向分布则未见显著性差异。结果表明:99mTc-MAG3-ASON DNA较其对照正义DNA寡聚核苷酸在荷瘤裸鼠肿瘤内的分布有显著性统计学差异,本研究证实了活体动物体内肿瘤反义显像的可行性。     

Coregistered photoacoustic-ultrasound imaging applied to brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a form of radiation therapy commonly used in the treatment of prostate cancer wherein sustained radiation doses can be precisely targeted to the tumor area by the implantation of small radioactive seeds around the treatment area. Ultrasound is a popular imaging mode for seed implantation, but the seeds are difficult to distinguish from the tissue structure. In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of photoacoustic imaging for identifying brachytherapy seeds in a tissue phantom, comparing the received intensity to endogenous contrast. We have found that photoacoustic imaging at 1064 nm can identify brachytherapy seeds uniquely at laser penetration depths of 5 cm in biological tissue at the ANSI limit for human exposure with a contrast-to-noise ratio of 26.5 dB. Our realtime combined photoacoustic-ultrasound imaging approach may be suitable for brachytherapy seed placement and post-placement verification, potentially allowing for realtime dosimetry assessment during implantation.     

A smart polymeric platform for multistage nucleus-targeted anticancer drug delivery

Tumor cell nucleus-targeted delivery of antitumor agents is of great interest in cancer therapy, since the nucleus is one of the most frequent targets of drug action. Here we report a smart polymeric conjugate platform, which utilizes stimulus-responsive strategies to achieve multistage nuclear drug delivery upon systemic administration. The conjugates composed of a backbone based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer and detachable nucleus transport sub-units that sensitive to lysosomal enzyme. The sub-units possess a biforked structure with one end conjugated with the model drug, H1 peptide, and the other end conjugated with a novel pH-responsive targeting peptide (R8NLS) that combining the strength of cell penetrating peptide and nuclear localization sequence. The conjugates exhibited prolonged circulation time and excellent tumor homing ability. And the activation of R8NLS in acidic tumor microenvironment facilitated tissue penetration and cellular internalization. Once internalized into the cell, the sub-units were unleashed for nuclear transport through nuclear pore complex. The unique features resulted in 50-fold increase of nuclear drug accumulation relative to the original polymer–drug conjugates in vitro, and excellent in vivo nuclear drug delivery efficiency. Our report provides a strategy in systemic nuclear drug delivery by combining the microenvironment-responsive structure and detachable sub-units.     

Advances in the field of nanooncology

Nanooncology, the application of nanobiotechnology to the management of cancer, is currently the most important chapter of nanomedicine. Nanobiotechnology has refined and extended the limits of molecular diagnosis of cancer, for example, through the use of gold nanoparticles and quantum dots. Nanobiotechnology has also improved the discovery of cancer biomarkers, one such example being the sensitive detection of multiple protein biomarkers by nanobiosensors. Magnetic nanoparticles can capture circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream followed by rapid photoacoustic detection. Nanoparticles enable targeted drug delivery in cancer that increases efficacy and decreases adverse effects through reducing the dosage of anticancer drugs administered. Nanoparticulate anticancer drugs can cross some of the biological barriers and achieve therapeutic concentrations in tumor and spare the surrounding normal tissues from toxic effects. Nanoparticle constructs facilitate the delivery of various forms of energy for noninvasive thermal destruction of surgically inaccessible malignant tumors. Nanoparticle-based optical imaging of tumors as well as contrast agents to enhance detection of tumors by magnetic resonance imaging can be combined with delivery of therapeutic agents for cancer. Monoclonal antibody nanoparticle complexes are under investigation for diagnosis as well as targeted delivery of cancer therapy. Nanoparticle-based chemotherapeutic agents are already on the market, and several are in clinical trials. Personalization of cancer therapies is based on a better understanding of the disease at the molecular level, which is facilitated by nanobiotechnology. Nanobiotechnology will facilitate the combination of diagnostics with therapeutics, which is an important feature of a personalized medicine approach to cancer.     

Photoacoustic tomography of foreign bodies in soft biological tissue

In detecting small foreign bodies in soft biological tissue, ultrasound imaging suffers from poor sensitivity (52.6%) and specificity (47.2%). Hence, alternative imaging methods are needed. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging takes advantage of strong optical absorption contrast and high ultrasonic resolution. A PA imaging system is employed to detect foreign bodies in biological tissues. To achieve deep penetration, we use near-infrared light ranging from 750 to 800 nm and a 5-MHz spherically focused ultrasonic transducer. PA images were obtained from various targets including glass, wood, cloth, plastic, and metal embedded more than 1 cm deep in chicken tissue. The locations and sizes of the targets from the PA images agreed well with those of the actual samples. Spectroscopic PA imaging was also performed on the objects. These results suggest that PA imaging can potentially be a useful intraoperative imaging tool to identify foreign bodies.     

Dextran conjugated dendritic nanoconstructs as potential vectors for anti-cancer agent

The purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate the potential of surface engineered polypropylene imine (PPI) dendrimers as nanoscale drug delivery units for site-specific delivery of a model anti-cancer agent, doxorubicin·hydrochloride (DOX). Dextran conjugated PPI dendrimers were synthesized, characterized and further loaded with DOX. The developed formulation was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. Dendrimer formulation was evaluated for in vitro drug release and haemolytic studies under various pH conditions. Cell uptake and cytotoxicity studies were performed on A549 cell lines using MTT cell proliferation assay. In vivo studies were conducted for evaluation of various pharmacokinetic parameters and tissue distribution pattern. In vitro, formulation displayed initial rapid release of the drug followed by rather slow release. Further, the dextran conjugated dendrimer formulation was found to be least haemolytic but more cytotoxic as compared to free drug. Cell uptake studies depicted that the formulation was preferably taken up by the tumor cells when compared to free drug. The conjugation of oxidized polyaldehyde dextran imparts macromolecular nature to the dendritic carrier, consequently the formulation was found to selectively enter highly porous mass of tumor cells at the same time precluding normal tissues. Thus it was concluded that the drug loaded dendrimer formulation would selectively localize in the tumor mass, increasing the therapeutic margin of safety while reducing the side effects associated with anti-cancer agents.     

Photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent and its application to thermotherapy

This study investigates a photoacoustic/ultrasound dual-modality contrast agent, including extending its applications from image-contrast enhancement to combined diagnosis and therapy with site-specific targeting. The contrast agent comprises albumin-shelled microbubbles with encapsulated gold nanorods (AuMBs). The gas-filled microbubbles, whose diameters range from submicrometer to several micrometers, are not only echogenic but also can serve as drug-delivery vehicles. The gold nanorods are used to enhance the generation of both photoacoustic and photothermal signals. The optical absorption peak of the gold nanorods is tuned to 760 nm and is invariant after microbubble encapsulation. Dual-modality contrast enhancement is first described here, and the applications to cellular targeting and laser-induced thermotherapy in a phantom are demonstrated. Photoacoustic imaging can be used to monitor temperature increases during the treatment. The targeting capability of AuMBs was verified, and the temperature increased by 26°C for a laser power of 980 mW, demonstrating the potential of combined diagnosis and therapy with the dual-modality agent. Targeted photo- or acoustic-mediated delivery is also possible.