High molecular weight chitosan derivative polymeric micelles encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide for tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents based on chitosan derivatives have great potential for diagnosing diseases. However, stable tumor-targeted MRI contrast agents using micelles prepared from high molecular weight chitosan derivatives are seldom reported. In this study, we developed a novel tumor-targeted MRI vehicle via superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) encapsulated in self-aggregating polymeric folate-conjugated N-palmitoyl chitosan (FAPLCS) micelles. The tumor-targeting ability of FAPLCS/SPIONs was demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. The results of dynamic light scattering experiments showed that the micelles had a relatively narrow size distribution (136.60±3.90 nm) and excellent stability. FAPLCS/SPIONs showed low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility in cellular toxicity tests. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that FAPLCS/SPIONs bound specifically to folate receptor-positive HeLa cells, and that FAPLCS/SPIONs accumulated predominantly in established HeLa-derived tumors in mice. The signal intensities of T2-weighted images in established HeLa-derived tumors were reduced dramatically after intravenous micelle administration. Our study indicates that FAPLCS/SPION micelles can potentially serve as safe and effective MRI contrast agents for detecting tumors that overexpress folate receptors.

• Authors: Yunbin Xiao, Zuan Tao Lin, Yanmei Chen, He Wang, Ya Li Deng, D Elizabeth Le, Jianguo Bin, Meiyu Li, Yulin Liao, Yili Liu, Gangbiao Jiang, Jianping Bin
• Journal: International journal of nanomedicine (Int J Nanomedicine) Vol. 10 Pg. 1155-72 ( 2015) ISSN: 1178-2013 [Electronic] New Zealand
• PMID: 25709439 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• Magnetite Nanoparticles
• Micelles
• N-palmitoyl chitosan
• Chitosan
• Folic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Chitosan (analogs & derivatives, chemistry, pharmacokinetics)
• Contrast Media (chemistry, pharmacokinetics)
• Folic Acid (chemistry, pharmacokinetics)
• HeLa Cells
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Magnetite Nanoparticles (chemistry)
• Mice
• Micelles
• Neoplasms (pathology)