Bright far-red/near-infrared conjugated polymer nanoparticles for in vivo bioimaging.

Abstract

A highly emissive far-red/near-infrared (FR/NIR) fluorescent conjugated polymer (CP), poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene)-co-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-co-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PFBTDBT10) is designed and synthesized via Suzuki polymerization. Formulation of PFBTDBT10 using 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (DSPE-PEG2000 ) and DSPE-PEG5000-folate as the encapsulation matrix yielded CP-loaded DSPE-PEG-folic acid nanoparticles (CPDP-FA NPs) with bright FR/NIR fluorescence (27% quantum yield) and a large Stoke's shift of 233 nm in aqueous solution. CPDP-FA NPs show improved thermal/photostabilities and larger Stoke's shifts as compared to commercially available quantum dots (Qdot 655) and organic dyes such as Alexa Fluor 555 and Rhodamine 6G. In vivo studies of CPDP-FA NPs on a hepatoma H22 tumor-bearing mouse model reveal that they could serve as an efficient FR/NIR fluorescent probe for targeted in vivo fluorescence imaging and cancer detection in a high contrast and specific manner. Together with the negligible in vivo toxicity, CPDP-FA NPs are promising FR/NIR fluorescent probes for future in vivo applications.

• Authors: Dan Ding, Jie Liu, Guangxue Feng, Kai Li, Yong Hu, Bin Liu
• Journal: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) (Small) Vol. 9 Issue 18 Pg. 3093-102 (Sep 23 2013) ISSN: 1613-6829 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 23625815 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemical References

• Polymers

Topics

• Diagnostic Imaging (methods)
• Nanoparticles (chemistry)
• Polymers (chemistry)