A "Dual-Key-and-Lock" MRI Contrast Agent with T1-T2 Switchable Function for Accurate Diagnosis of Tumors.
Nano Lett
; 24(30): 9406-9414, 2024 Jul 31.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39036992
ABSTRACT
Extremely small iron oxide nanoparticle (ESIONP)-based stimuli-responsive switchable MRI contrast agents (CAs) show great promise for accurate detection of tumors due to their outstanding advantages of high specificity and low background signal. However, currently developed ESIONP-based switchable CAs often suffer single-biomarker-induced responses, which lack absolute specificity to pathological tissues, potentially diminishing diagnostic accuracy. In this study, weak acidity and hypoxia, two of the most remarkable characteristics of tumors, are introduced as dual biomarker stimuli to construct an ESIONP-based switchable MRI CA (DKL-CA), with its signal switch controlled by a "dual-key-and-lock" strategy. Only when DKL-CA is exposed to a coexisting weakly acidic and hypoxic environment can monodispersed ESIONPs form nanoclusters, thereby realizing a switch from the T1 to T2 contrast. Moreover, DKL-CA exhibits favorable biosafety and the capacity for precise tumor diagnosis in tumor-bearing mice. Overall, DKL-CA paves the way for designing highly accurate ESIONP-based MRI CAs for tumor diagnosis.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
/
Contrast Media
/
Neoplasms
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Nano Lett
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: