Lactoferrin-conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a specific MRI contrast agent for detection of brain glioma in vivo

• Published in: Biomaterials Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 495 - 502
• Main Authors: Xie, Hui, Zhu, Yanhong, Jiang, Weili, Zhou, Qing, Yang, Hai, Gu, Ning, Zhang, Yu, Xu, Huibi, Xu, Haibo, Yang, Xiangliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2011
• Subjects: Advanced Basic Science; animal models; Animals; blood vessels; Blotting, Western; brain; Cell Line; Cell Line, Tumor; Contrast agent; Contrast Media - chemistry; Dentistry; diagnostic techniques; disease diagnosis; Ferrosoferric Oxide - chemistry; Glioma; Glioma - diagnosis; Humans; hydrodynamics; image analysis; in vivo studies; injection; iron; iron oxides; Lactoferrin; Lactoferrin - chemistry; magnetic properties; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; neoplasms; patients; radiology; Rats; receptors; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Superparamagnetic iron oxide; surgery; Western blotting; Lactoferrin; Magnetic resonance imaging; Glioma; Superparamagnetic iron oxide; Contrast agent
• ISSN: 0142-9612; 1878-5905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2010.09.024

Abstract A specific contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial to brain tumor patients for the surgical operation or the postoperative radiology. This study explored lactoferrin-conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Lf-SPIONs) as an MRI contrast agent for the detection of brain gliomas in vivo . The hydrodynamic diameter of about 75 nm, saturation magnetization of 51 emu/g Fe and T2 relaxivity of 75.6 mM−1 S−1 of the Lf-SPIONs suggested its applicability for MRI. Using a rat model of C6 glioma, Lf-SPIONs provided a better picture or more sensitivity to depict brain glioma on MR images than that of SPIONs. Significantly enhanced T2 -weighted images of brain glioma were documented in vivo with Lf-SPIONs until 48 h after injection. Moreover, Lf-SPIONs were clearly observed around vascular region of the tumor slices after 48 h. High level expression of Lf receptors was confirmed in brain tumor tissues by RT-PCR and Western Blot compared to normal brain tissues. These findings suggested that Lf-SPIONs could be potentially employed as a sensitive and specific MRI contrast agent in the diagnosis of brain glioma.