Transferrin-Conjugated Manganese Dioxide/Semiconducting Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles for Targeted Dual-Model Imaging of Orthotopic Glioblastoma
Ningyue Yu, Yue Wang, Jindong Xia, Viktar Abashkin, Lingzhou Zhao, Jingchao Li
Abstract
Glioblastoma is one of the important diseases that threaten human health, while the early diagnosis of glioblastoma remains a great challenge. We herein report the development of transferrin (Tf)-conjugated hybrid nanoparticles for targeted magnetic resonance (MR) and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence dual-model imaging of orthotopic glioblastoma in living mouse models. Tf-stabilized manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) nanoparticles were conjugated onto the surface of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) to allow the formation of hybrid nanoparticles (Tf@SPN M ). Due to the surface modification of Tf that could bind to the Tf receptor, Tf@SPN M would overcome the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and target the glioblastoma cells, which resulted in a more effective delivery of Tf@SPN M into orthotopic glioblastoma sites compared to that of their control nanoparticles. In view of the high r 1 relaxation (9.8 mM –1 s –1 ) and bright NIR fluorescence emission, Tf@SPN M could achieve MR and NIR fluorescence dual-model imaging of orthotopic glioblastoma with obviously improved imaging contrast. Thus, this study provides a multifunctional hybrid nanoplatform for effective diagnosis of orthotopic glioblastoma.