Development of Long Circulating Magnetic Particle Imaging Tracers: Use of Novel Magnetic Nanoparticles and Entrapment Into Human Erythrocytes
A. Antonelli, Patryk Szwargulski, Emanuele Salvatore Scarpa, Florian Thieben, Cordula Grüttner, Gianluca Ambrosi, Loretta Guidi, Peter Ludewig, Tobias Knopp, Mauro Magnani
Abstract
Aim: Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is highly promising for biomedical applications, but optimal tracers for MPI, namely superparamagnetic iron oxide-based contrast agents, are still lacking. Materials & methods: The encapsulation of commercially available nanoparticles, specifically synomag®-D and perimag®, into human red blood cells (RBCs) was performed by a hypotonic dialysis and isotonic resealing procedure. The amounts of superparamagnetic iron oxide incorporated into RBCs were determined by Fe quantification using nuclear magnetic resonance and magnetic particle spectroscopy. Results: Perimag-COOH nanoparticles were identified as the best nanomaterial for encapsulation in RBCs. Perimag-COOH-loaded RBCs proved to be viable cells showing a good magnetic particle spectroscopy performance, while the magnetic signal of synomag-D-COOH-loaded RBCs dropped sharply. Conclusion: Perimag-COOH-loaded RBCs could be a potential tool for MPI diagnostic applications.