Functionalization of Gadolinium Chelates Silica Nanoparticle through Silane Chemistry for Simultaneous MRI64Cu PET Imaging

Abstract EN

Multimodal nanoprobes are highly demanded for biomedical imaging applications to enhance the reliability of the diagnostic results.

Among different types of nano-objects, ultrasmall silica gadolinium nanoparticle (SiGdNP) appears as a safe, effective, and versatile platform for this purpose.

In this study, a new method to functionalize SiGdNP based on silane chemistry has been reported.

Two types of chelating silanes (APTES-DOTAGA and APTES-NODAGA) have been synthesized and grafted on SiGdNP by a simple one-step protocol.

This functionalization strategy requires no other reactants or catalyzers and does not compromise the ultrasmall size of the particles.

NODAGA-functionalized particle has been labeled with 64Cu isotope and injected intravenously to mice bearing TS/A carcinoma tumor for biodistribution study to demonstrate its potential as a bimodal MRI/PET imaging agent.

A fully integrated MRI/PET system was used to simultaneously monitor the distribution of the particle.

The results showed that the functionalized particle maintained properties of a renal clearable NP which could rapidly escape through kidneys and had low retention in other organs, especially liver, even though its accumulation in the tumor was modest.