Targeted binding of PEG-lipid modified polymer ultrasound contrast agents with tiered surface architecture.

ABSTRACT: In order for site-directed polymer ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) to provide acoustic enhancement at disease sites to distinguish normal tissue from diseased tissue, the surface of these agents must be functionalized with mixtures of grafted polymers. Here a combination of longer liganded polyethylene glycol (PEG)-lipids and shorter unliganded PEG-lipids were introduced into the oil phase of a modified solvent evaporation double emulsion method for preparing UCAs. UCAs with different lengths of both liganded and unliganded lipids were imaged under 7.5 MHz ultrasound. The B-mode image brightness of the mixed PEG-lipid UCAs was within 1 dB the brightness of the unliganded surface. After 15 min of continuous insonation, 70% of the contrast signal remained. The peptide arginine-glycine-aspa

SUBMITTER: Duncanson WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2980833 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature