Covalent assembly of nanoparticles as a peptidase-degradable platform for molecular MRI.

ABSTRACT: Ligand-conjugated microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO) have the potential to provide high sensitivity contrast for molecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the accumulation and persistence of non-biodegradable micron-sized particles in liver and spleen precludes their clinical use and limits the translational potential of MPIO-based contrast agents. Here we show that ligand-targeted MPIO derived from multiple iron oxide nanoparticles may be coupled covalently through peptide linkers that are designed to be cleaved by intracellular macrophage proteases. The synthesized particles possess potential characteristics for targeted MRI contrast agents, including high relaxivity, unappreciable sedimentation, clearance from circulation and no overt toxicity. Importantly, we demonstrate th

SUBMITTER: Perez-Balderas F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5316865 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature