Quantum dot/nitroxide-based sensing platform for image-guided drug delivery in cancer

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510321
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Chemical biology
• Research Institution: National Institute of Radiological Sciences
• Principal Investigator: RUMIANA Bakalova 独立行政法人放射線医学総合研究所, 分子イメージング研究センター, 主任研究員 (30469936)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): AOKI Ichio 独立行政法人放射線医学総合研究所, 分子イメージング研究センター, チームリーダー (10319519) ; ZHELEV Zhivko 独立行政法人放射線医学総合研究所, 分子イメージング研究センター, 主任研究員 (10319519)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: Polymersomes / Quantum dots / Nitroxides / Drug delivery systems / Cancer

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed polymersomes, embedding with quantum dots (QDs) and hydrophobic nitroxide-labeled anticancer drug, as a new sensing platform for imaging of drug delivery in cancer. If both substances are retained into the polymersome, there is no fluorescence of QDs. If nitroxide-labeled drug is released from polymersomes, the fluorescence of QDs appeared.
On experimental cancer-bearing animals, using optical imaging, we established that these nanoparticles were appropriate for imaging of cancer, lymph node mapping, as well as for imaging of drug delivery. A strong fluorescent signal, corresponding to QD705 fluorescence, was detected in the tumor, as well as into the lymph nodes. The half-life of QD/nitroxide-embeding polymersomes was 6±2 hours in the bloodstream, 8±2 hours into the tumor and 11±3 hours in the lymph nodes. The data suggests these size-controlled long-circulating polymersomes are useful matrix for development of nano-formulations with theranostic capabilities.

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