Kevin Guo

Noninvasive Photoacoustic and Fluorescence Sentinel Lymph Node Identification using Dye-Loaded Perfluorocarbon Nanoparticles

The contrast mechanisms used for photoacoustic tomography (PAT) and fluorescence imaging differ in subtle, but significant, ways. The design of contrast agents for each or both modalities requires an understanding of the spectral characteristics as well as intra- and intermolecular interactions that occur during formulation. We found that fluorescence quenching that occurs in the formulation of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent dyes in nanoparticles results in enhanced contrast for PAT. The ability of the new PAT method to utilize strongly absorbing chromophores for signal generation allowed us to convert a highly fluorescent dye into an exceptionally high PA contrast material. Spectroscopic characterization of the developed NIR dye-loaded perfluorocarbon-based nanoparticles for combined fluorescence and PA imaging revealed distinct dye-dependent photophysical behavior. We demonstrate that the enhanced contrast allows detection of regional lymph nodes of rats in vivo with time-domain optical and photoacoustic imaging methods. The results further show that the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging, which is less dependent on fluorescence intensity, provides a strategic approach to bridge the disparate contrast reporting mechanisms of fluorescence and PA imaging methods.

Long Fluorescence Lifetime Molecular Probes Based on Near Infrared Pyrrolopyrrole Cyanine Fluorophores for In Vivo Imaging

Fluorescence lifetime (FLT) properties of organic molecules provide a new reporting strategy for molecular imaging in the near infrared (NIR) spectral region. Unfortunately, most of the NIR fluorescent dyes have short FLT typically clustered below 1.5 ns. In this study, we demonstrate that a new class of NIR fluorescent dyes, pyrrolopyrrole cyanine dyes, have exceptionally long FLTs ranging from 3 to 4 ns, both in vitro (dimethyl sulfoxide and albumin/water solutions) and in vivo (mice). These results provide a new window for imaging molecular processes, rejecting backscattered light and autofluorescence, and multiplexing imaging information with conventional NIR fluorescent dyes that absorb and emit light at similar wavelengths.

Rational Approach to Select Small Peptide Molecular Probes Labeled with Fluorescent Cyanine Dyes for in vivo Optical Imaging

We demonstrate that the structure of carbocyanine dyes, which are commonly used to label small peptides for molecular imaging and not the bound peptide, controls the rate of extravasation from blood vessels to tissue. By examining several near-infrared (NIR) carbocyanine fluorophores, we demonstrate a quantitative correlation between the binding of a dye to albumin, a model plasma protein, and the rate of extravasation of the probe into tissue. Binding of the dyes was measured by fluorescence quenching of the tryptophans in albumin and was found to be inversely proportional to the rate of extravasation. The rate of extravasation, determined by kurtosis from longitudinal imaging studies using rodent ear models, provided a basis for quantitative measurements. Structure-activity studies aimed at evaluating a representative library of NIR fluorescent cyanine probes showed that hydrophilic dyes with binding constants several orders of magnitude lower than their hydrophobic counterparts have much faster extravasation rate, establishing a foundation for rational probe design. The correlation provides a guideline for dye selection in optical imaging and a method to verify if a certain dye is optimal for a specific molecular imaging application.

Near-Infrared Fluorescent pH-Sensitive Probes via Unexpected Barbituric Acid Mediated Synthesis

Novel near-infrared pyrimidine-fused pH fluorescent probes were prepared by an unusual barbiturate-mediated debenzoindolation and subsequent heteroannulation. A plausible mechanistic pathway is proposed, and the final structures were further elucidated by 2D-NMR. All new compounds are highly fluorescent in the near-infrared region and possess excellent spectral sensitivities to environmental pH changes.

Targeting of ανβ3-Integrins Expressed on Tumor Tissue and Neovasculature Using Fluorescent Small Molecules and Nanoparticles

AIM Receptor-specific small molecules and nanoparticles are widely used in molecular imaging of tumors. Although some studies have described the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two approaches, reports of a direct comparison and analysis of the two strategies are lacking. Herein, we compared the tumor-targeting characteristics of a small near-infrared fluorescent compound (cypate-peptide conjugate) and relatively large perfluorocarbon-based nanoparticles (250 nm diameter) for imaging alpha(nu)beta(3)-integrin receptor expression in tumors. MATERIALS & METHODS Near-infrared fluorescent small molecules and nanoparticles were administered to living mice bearing subcutaneous or intradermal syngeneic tumors and imaged with whole-body and high-resolution optical imaging systems. RESULTS The nanoparticles, designed for vascular constraint, remained within the tumor vasculature while the small integrin-avid ligands diffused into the tissue to target integrin expression on tumor and endothelial cells. Targeted small-molecule and nanoparticle contrast agents preferentially accumulated in tumor tissue with tumor-to-muscle ratios of 8 and 7, respectively, compared with 3 for nontargeted nanoparticles. CONCLUSION Fluorescent small molecular probes demonstrate greater overall early tumor contrast and rapid visualization of tumors, but the vascular-constrained nanoparticles are more selective for detecting cancer-induced angiogenesis. A combination of both imaging agents provides a strategy to image and quantify integrin expression in tumor tissue and tumor-induced neovascular systems.

Near Infrared-Fluorescent and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Molecular Probe with High T1 Relaxivity for In Vivo Multimodal Imaging

A new gadolinium chelating NIR fluorescent molecular probe increases T(1) relaxivity of water protons, facilitating combined optical and magnetic resonance imaging.

Radioactivity-synchronized fluorescence enhancement using a radionuclide fluorescence-quenched dye.

We demonstrate the first evidence of radioactivity-synchronized fluorescence quenching of a near-infrared light-emitting dye by a radionuclide, (64)Cu, and subsequent fluorescence enhancement upon (64)Cu decay to the daughter isotopes (64)Ni and (64)Zn. The dynamic switch from high radioactivity and low fluorescence to low radioactivity and high fluorescence is potentially useful for developing complementary multimodal imaging and detection platforms for chemical, environmental, and biomedical applications as well as for unraveling the mechanisms of metal-induced dynamic fluorescence changes.

Engineering NIR dyes for fluorescent lifetime contrast

The excited state of an organic molecule is a crossroads which can lead to many directions, such as non-radiative emission as heat, fluorescence, intersystem crossing and phosphorescence. Due to the unpredictable nature of the excited molecular structure, manipulation of this represents significant challenges for physicists and chemists. However, the successful management of the excited state provides a number of benefits with innumerable applications to fields like photonics and medicine. One such property of the excited state with powerful ramifications in medical diagnostics is fluorescence lifetime.

Biological applications of fluorescence lifetime imaging beyond microscopy

Fluorescence lifetime is a relatively new contrast mechanism for optical imaging in living subjects that relies on intrinsic properties of fluorophores rather than concentration dependent intensity. Drawing upon the success of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for investigation of protein-protein interactions and intracellular physiology, in vivo fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLI) promises to dramatically increase the utility of fluorescencebased imaging in preclinical and clinical applications. Intrinsic fluorescence lifetime measurements in living tissues can distinguish pathologies such as cancer from healthy tissue. Unfortunately, intrinsic FLT contrast is limited to superficial measurements. Conventional intensity-based agents have been reported for measuring these phenomena in vitro, but translation into living animals is difficult due to optical properties of tissues. For this reason, contrast agents that can be detected in the near infrared (NIR) wavelengths are being developed by our lab and others to enhance the capabilities of this modality. FLT is less affected by concentration and thus is better for detecting small changes in physiology, as long as sufficient fluorescence signal can be measured. FLT can also improve localization of signals for improved deep tissue imaging. Examples of the utility of exogenous contrast agents will be discussed, including applications in monitoring physiologic functions, controlled drug release and cancer biology. Instrumentation for FLI will also be discussed, including planar and diffuse optical imaging in time and frequency domains. Future applications will also be discussed that are being developed in this exciting field that complement other optical modalities.

Bloodstain age analysis: toward solid state fluorescent lifetime measurements

One of the most pressing unsolved challenges in forensic science is the determination of time since deposition (TSD) of bloodstains at crime scenes. Despite a number of high profile cases over the past couple hundred years involving controversy over TSD methods, no reliable quantitative method has been established. We present here an approach that has yet to be explored by forensic scientist: measuring the fluorescence lifetime of solid-state blood. Such a method would allow for on-site measurements of bloodstains utilizing the appropriate device, and would allow for rapid results returned in real-time to investigators.