Theranostic porphyrin nanoparticles identify atherosclerosis via multimodal imaging and elicit atheroprotective effects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Porphyrin-lipid nanoparticles (Por-NPs) have unrealized potential for atherosclerosis. Por-NPs incorporate porphyrin-lipid which permits fluorescence imaging and chelates Copper-64 (⁶⁴Cu) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Their outer shell contains a short peptide 'R4F' that enables macrophage targeting and therapeutic effects. Accordingly, this study investigates the simultaneous diagnostic and therapeutic properties of Por-NPs in atherosclerosis.

Results

In vitro, Por-NPs were found to be internalized by immortalised bone marrow-derived macrophages (iBMDMs), visualized via fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Por-NPs also increased cholesterol efflux from [³H]-cholesterol-loaded iBMDMs, (49 %, P < 0.05). I

SUBMITTER: Nankivell VA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12398886 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature