Sericin-based gadolinium nanoparticles as synergistically enhancing contrast agents for pH-responsive and tumor targeting magnetic resonance imaging

Materials & Design

Qingyou Xia¹  Bo Xiao²  Min Wu²  Xueqing Zhang³  Wanting Li⁴  Huawei He⁵  Jun Wu⁶  Yejing Wang⁶  Zixuan Huang⁶  Hua Zuo⁶ 

[1] Advanced Materials, Faculty of Materials &Chongqing Key Laboratory of Sericultural Science, Chongqing Engineering and Technology Research Center for Novel Silk Materials, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft-Matter Material Chemistry and Function Manufacturing, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China;College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China;Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Shapingba, Chongqing, 400038, China;;Institute for Clean Energy &State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Biological Science Research Center, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China;

关键词: Sericin;    pH-responsive;    Tumor targeting;    Magnetic resonance imaging;    Contrast agent;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

It is of great significance to develop gadolinium (Gd) contrast agents (CAs) for pH-responsive and tumor targeting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Silkworm sericin (SS) is a natural biomacromolecule from silkworm cocoon with good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and a variety of biological activities. Here, sericin was covalently cross-linked with gadolinium acetate (GAH) via Schiff's base reaction, and then blended with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) through electrostatic adsorption to yield SS@GAH-GdCl3 nanoparticles. Zeta potential showed SS@GAH-GdCl3 could respond pH change naturally, and freely realize the transition from negative surface potential in pH 7.5 to positive surface potential in pH 5.8. The T1 weighted MR images in solution indicated that SS@GAH-GdCl3 has higher T1 relaxivity in pH 5.8 than that in pH 7.4, and magnevist under 3.0 T magnetic field. Further, the T1 weighted MR images in vivo suggested that SS@GAH-GdCl3 could target tumors and accumulate around tumor tissues to achieve MR imaging on the tumor up to 2 h. Moreover, SS@GAH-GdCl3 is stable without any leakage of gadolinium ions. SS@GAH-GdCl3 is cytocompatible and does not cause hemolysis, inflammation, tissue damage, and the change of serum biochemical indicators and body weight in vivo. SS@GAH-GdCl3 has exhibited great potentials as a high-performance GdCA for pH-responsive and tumor targeting MRI.

【 授权许可】

Unknown