Xiangyang Shi

A multifunctional polyethylenimine-based nanoplatform for targeted anticancer drug delivery to tumors in vivo

The development of cost-effective targeted drug delivery systems for cancer chemotherapy still remains a great challenging task. Here, we describe the synthesis and characterization of multifunctional polyethylenimine (PEI) as an effective vehicle to load an anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) for in vivo targeted cancer therapy. In this study, PEI was sequentially conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) monomethyl ether, PEGylated folic acid (FA), and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FI). This was followed by the acetylation of the remaining PEI surface amines. The formed FA-targeted multifunctional PEI (FA-mPEI) was used as a vehicle to encapsulate DOX. We show that the formed FA-mPEI/DOX complexes with each PEI encapsulating 6.9 DOX molecules are water dispersible and can sustainably release DOX in a pH-dependent manner, showing a higher release rate under acidic pH conditions than under physiological pH conditions. Furthermore, the complexes display specific therapeutic efficacy to cancer cells in vitro and a subcutaneous tumor model in vivo, and have good organ compatibility. The designed multifunctional PEI may be used as an effective vehicle for targeted cancer chemotherapy.

Targeted CT/MR dual mode imaging of human hepatocellular carcinoma using lactobionic acid-modified polyethyleneimine-entrapped gold nanoparticles

We report the synthesis and characterization of lactobionic acid-modified multifunctional polyethyleneimine-entrapped gold nanoparticles for targeted dual mode computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging. The nanodevice displays good X-ray attenuation properties, good r1 relaxivity, and hepatocellular carcinoma targeting specificity, and can be used for targeted CT/MR imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.

Zwitterion-coated ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles for enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging applications

We report a convenient strategy to prepare ultrasmall Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) coated with zwitterion l-cysteine (Cys) for enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging applications. The formed Fe3O4-PEG-Cys NPs possess antifouling properties, good r1 relaxivity, excellent cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility, and can be used as a contrast agent for enhanced blood pool and tumor MR imaging.

Aqueous-phase synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles and composites for cancer diagnosis and therapy

The design and development of multifunctional nanoplatforms for biomedical applications still remains to be challenging. This review reports the recent advances in aqueous-phase synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) and their composites for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer. Water dispersible and colloidally stable Fe3O4 NPs synthesized via controlled coprecipitation route, hydrothermal route and mild reduction route are introduced. Some of key strategies to improve the r2 relaxivity of Fe3O4 NPs and to enhance their uptake by cancer cells are discussed in detail. These aqueous-phase synthetic methods can also be applied to prepare Fe3O4 NP-based composites for dual-mode molecular imaging applications. More interestingly, aqueous-phase synthesized Fe3O4 NPs are able to be fabricated as multifunctional theranostic agents for multi-mode imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer. This review will provide some meaningful information for the design and development of various Fe3O4 NP-based multifunctional nanoplatforms for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Facile Formation of Gold Nanoparticle-Loaded γ-Polyglutamic Acid Nanogels for Tumor CT Imaging

The formation of gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-loaded γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) nanogels (NGs) for computed tomography (CT) imaging of tumors is reported. γ-PGA with carboxyl groups activated by 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride is first emulsified to form NGs and then in situ chemically cross-linked with polyethylenimine (PEI)-entrapped Au NPs with partial polyethylene glycol (PEG) modification ([(Au0)200-PEI·NH2-mPEG]). The formed γ-PGA-[(Au0)200-PEI·NH2-mPEG] NGs with a size of 108.6 ± 19.1 nm display an X-ray attenuation property better than commercial iodinated small-molecular-contrast agents and can be uptaken by cancer cells more significantly than γ-PGA-stabilized single Au NPs at the same Au concentrations. These properties render the formed NGs with an ability to be used as an effective contrast agent for the CT imaging of cancer cells in vitro and a tumor model in vivo. The developed hybrid NGs may be promising for the CT imaging or theranostics of different biosystems.

Dendrimer-based contrast agents for PET imaging

Abstract Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging offers physiological and biological information through the in vivo distribution of PET agents for disease diagnosis, therapy monitoring and prognosis evaluation. Due to the unique structural characteristics allowing for facile modification of targeting ligands and radionuclides, dendrimers can be served as a versatile scaffold to build up various PET imaging agents, and significant breakthroughs have been made in this field over the past decades. This review focuses on the recent advances in dendrimer-based contrast agents for PET imaging of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases. In particular, radiolabeling strategies for different PET isotopes are described in detail. Several challenges involved in clinical translation of radiolabeled dendrimers are also discussed.