Folate targeted coated SPIONs as efficient tool for MRI

• Published in: Nano research Vol. 10; no. 9; pp. 3212 - 3227
• Main Authors: Scialabba, Cinzia, Puleio, Roberto, Peddis, Davide, Varvaro, Gaspare, Calandra, Pietro, Cassata, Giovanni, Cicero, Luca, Licciardi, Mariano, Giammona, Gaetano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Tsinghua University Press 01.09.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biocompatibility; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Cancer; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Contrast agents; Diagnostic software; Diagnostic systems; Drug delivery systems; Folic acid; folic;acid;（FA）; Graft copolymers; Hyperthermia; Inulin; inulin;copolymer; Iron oxides; Magnetic properties; Magnetic resonance imaging; magnetic;resonance;imaging;（MRI）; Magnetite; Materials Science; Medical imaging; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Receptors; Research Article; superparamagnetic;spinel;iron;oxide;nanoparticles（SPIONs）; Tumors; superparamagnetic spinel iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); cancer targeting; folic acid (FA); inulin copolymer
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-017-1540-4

The development of more sensitive diagnostic tools allowing an early-stageand highly efficient medical imaging of tumors remains a challenge. Magneticnanoparticles seem to be the contrast agents with the highest potential, if properlyconstructed. Therefore, in this study, hybrid magnetic nanoarchitectures weredeveloped using a new amphiphilic inulin-based graft copolymer （INU-LA-PEG-FA） as coating material for 10-nm spinel iron oxide （magnetite, Fe304）superparamagnetic nanoparticles （SPION）. Folic acid （FA） covalently linked tothe coating copolymer in order to be exposed onto the nanoparticle surface waschosen as the targeting agent because folate receptors are upregulated in manycancer types. Physicochemical characterization and in vitro biocompatibilitystudy was then performed on the prepared magnetic nanoparticles. The improvedtargeting and imaging properties of the prepared FA-SPIONs were furtherevaluated in nude mice using 7-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging （MRI）.FA-SPIONs exhibited the ability to act as efficient contrast agents in conventionalMRI, providing a potential nanoplatform not only for tumor diagnosis but alsofor cancer treatment, through the delivery of anticancer drug or locoregional magnetic hvverthermia.